BJP Leader Shot Dead In UP's Amethi District

Amethi: A BJP leader was found shot dead in Amethi district’s Mohanganj police station area on Monday. He was identified as 64-year-old Jageshwar Verma, a member of the BJP district working committee and a former pradhan of Ramai village.

Sixty-four-year-old BJP leader Jageshwar Verma was found shot dead in the Ramai village in Uttar Pradesh's Amethi district on Monday.

Verma's son accused the current village pradhan's family of killing his father over political rivalry, as the 64-year-old was about to contest the village pradhan election in two months. Verma had won the election in 2005 and 2015.

An FIR has been lodged against current pradhan Ankita Singh’s husband Daan Bahadur Singh, his brother Veer Bahadur Singh and son Akhilesh Pratap Singh. The three are absconding at present.

Meanwhile, Amethi MP and Union minister Smriti Irani talked to Verma’s family and assured them of strict action against the accused.

Earlier in the day, Superintendent of Police Dinesh Singh said Verma, a former BJP zonal head, left home around Sunday at 9 pm “for some reason” and did not return. Worried, his family started looking for him but could not find him. In the morning, some locals saw his body, lying face down, near a canal around 500 meters from the house. He had been shot near his ear. The police were informed, and they sent the body for autopsy. The police said after the post-mortem it would be clear how many times the BJP leader was shot.

“Monday morning his body was recovered. A formal complaint has been received by us and an FIR for murder against three accused has been registered. Teams have been formed to trace the accused and soon the arrests will be made. After collecting all the evidence, strict legal action will be taken against those responsible. Both the Special Operation Group and forensic teams are involved in the investigation,” said SP Dinesh Singh.