BSP leader gunned down, two injured

FAIZABAD: A senior BSP leader and his driver were gunned in broad daylight in the middle of UP's Ambedkar Nagar town on Monday.
The assailants used a 9mm pistol to kill Zurgam Mehndi, a block-level BSP leader, and his driver Sushil Yadav around 11 am. Police have lodged a case against unknown killers. The shooters fired about a dozen bullets on them after intercepting their car in Hirapur market in Hanswar police station area of the district.

Mehndi had sought police security a few days ago citing threat to his life, but he was yet to get it. Two passersby were also hit in the indiscriminate firing. They have been admitted to hospital. "Although the case has been lodged against unknown persons, the deceased's family has accused a local mafia Khan Mubarak, who is lodged in Sultanpur jail, for the killing. So, we have named Khan Mubarak in the case," said Ambedkar Nagar SP Vipin Kumar Mishra.

"Zugram Mehndi approached us for security citing threat to his life, but he was facing trial in some criminal cases, so we did not provide him [protection]," he added.

The killing created panic in the district as the shooters fired fearlessly and escaped from the spot without any resistance. The deceased BSP leader's elder brother Nabi Hasan said, "Despite repeated requests, police did not give us security and my brother died. Now I fear threat to his family."