Chopan municipal board chairman Imtiaz Ahmed shot dead in UP's Sonebhadra

VARANASI: The Chopan Nagar Palika Parishad chairman Imtiaz Ahmed was shot dead by three miscreants at Greval Park near his residence on Thursday morning.
Locals caught one of shooters and thrashed him before blocking Varanasi-Shaktinagar highway for over three hours. Heavy police force was deployed there in view of tension gripping the area.

As per his daily routine Ahmed was preparing to play volleyball at Greval Park after completing his morning walk when three miscreants raided the place and sprayed him with bullets with a pistol and country made carbine. On seeing it other people present at park challenged the shooters and caught one of them. Some locals rushed Ahmed to district hospital where doctors declared him brought dead.

Hundreds of people gathered there within few minutes beat up the shooter caught with pistol and country made carbine brutally. Police had to exercise hard to rescue him from the angry mob. Injured shooter was rushed to district hospital where doctors referred him to Varanasi in view of his critical condition.

Angered over killing of Ahmed his supporters, Samajwady Party workers and locals blocked Varanasi-Shaktinagar highway and staged massive demonstration. On getting information SP Sonebhadra Kirit Rathore reached Chopan while in view of tension prevailing in the area heavy police force and PAC was called there. Despite repeated assurance by officials for early arrest of killers angry mob of locals kept the highway blocked for over three hours due to which traffic remained paralysed.

Ahmed initially had won Chopan Nagar Palika Parishad chairman election on SP ticket in 2012. However, despite of denial of ticket in 2017 by SP he succeeded in retaining chairman office of municipal board. His dominance in local politics increased when he ensured victory of his wife Babli in block chief election. He was in mining trade. Following initial investigation cops were suspecting dispute of mining trade as reason behind his killing.