9 killed, 19 wounded as village head and supporters open fire on group over land dispute
Sonebhadra (UP), Jul 17: A village head and his supporters allegedly opened fire on a rival group over a land dispute in Ghorawal area here, killing nine people, including three women, and leaving 19 injured on Wednesday, police said.
The incident occurred in Sapahi village. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed the DGP to monitor the case and ensure effective action against the culprits, officials said.
Police said Sapahi village head Yagya Dutt and his supporters allegedly opened fire on the victims following a quarrel over a long pending land dispute, police said.
"Nine persons have been killed and 19 injured in the incident of firing," District Magistrate Ankit Kumar Agarwal said.
The injured have been rushed to the hospital where the condition of some of them was stated to be critical.
Taking prompt note of the matter, the chief minister directed the district magistrate of Sonbhadra to provide immediate medical attention to the injured, an official spokesperson said in Lucknow.
"The CM has also directed the DGP to personally monitor the case and ensure effective action to catch the culprits," he added.
मुख्यमंत्री श्री @myogiadityanath ने सोनभद्र में हुई घटना का संज्ञान लिया और मृतकों के परिवार के प्रति अपनी संवेदना व्यक्त की है।#UPCM ने सोनभद्र के जिलाधिकारी को घायलों को तत्काल चिकित्सा सहायता उपलब्ध कराने के निर्देश दिए हैं। @DmSonbhadra @sonbhadrapolice
— CM Office, GoUP (@CMOfficeUP) July 17, 2019
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Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah accuses EC of ‘bias’, defends state guarantee schemes ahead of bypolls
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has accused the EC of "double standards" and "bias" after it sought details on the state’s guarantee schemes in Davanagere and Bagalkot districts, where bypolls are scheduled for Thursday.
In a post on 'X' on Wednesday, Siddaramaiah said the Election Commission of India had asked the Karnataka government for information on fund releases under five ongoing guarantee schemes in the constituencies going to polls.
The polls were necessitated following the deaths of senior Congress MLAs Shamanur Shivashankarappa and H Y Meti, respectively.
The schemes are Gruha Jyothi, which provides 200 units of free electricity to every household; Gruha Lakshmi, offering Rs 2,000 to women heading families; and Anna Bhagya, supplying 10 kg of rice per month to each member of BPL families.
In addition, Yuva Nidhi grants Rs 3,000 to unemployed graduates and Rs 1,500 to unemployed diploma holders aged 18–25 for two years, while Shakti enables women to travel free of charge within Karnataka on government non-luxury buses.
Siddaramaiah alleged that the ECI had remained silent when similar cash transfer schemes were announced in Maharashtra and Bihar ahead of elections, calling the scrutiny of Karnataka’s schemes a "clear case of bias".
"In states like Maharashtra and Bihar, cash transfer schemes were announced or fast-tracked just before elections, directly benefiting voters. Yet the ECI remained silent. This is not neutrality—it is complicity," he said.
The CM accused the BJP and NDA governments of "a double standard", noting that when they act, the ECI "looks the other way", but when Karnataka fulfils its promises, it faces "intense scrutiny".
He added that targeting the state’s guarantee schemes is "not just political but anti-poor, anti-women, and anti-Karnataka."
Siddaramaiah clarified that these schemes were not launched in connection with the bypolls but are ongoing programmes implemented as part of the Congress government’s commitments from the 2023 Assembly elections.
Funds are transferred regularly to beneficiaries in a transparent and structured manner, he added.
"The guarantees are part of governance—a direct investment in human dignity, household stability, and economic participation, not inducement," he said.
He also accused the BJP of "hypocrisy", saying that while it criticises Karnataka’s schemes as "freebies", it rolls out similar programmes in states it governs.
"The Karnataka model has set a benchmark for the country. What is deeply concerning, however, is the ECI’s selective approach," Siddaramaiah added.
