On Friday, the police had arrested 11 people, including BJP leader Atul Singh, and invoked the National Security Act (NSA) against the accused for allegedly shooting the SP leader and injuring four. (File)

A DAY after a Samajwadi Party (SP) leader and his supporter were killed in a clash with a group led by a BJP leader in Gonda district’s Paraaspatti village, the Station House Officer (SHO) of the local police station was suspended for “reacting late to the incident”.

Gonda SP Raj Karan Nayyar said Umri Begumganj SHO Om Prakash Chauhan was suspended after an inquiry was launched into the incident. “We found that the SHO reacted late and he may have influenced the inquiry in the future. Hence, we have removed him. The officials did not inform the police about them going to the village on Friday for inquiring about the MGNREGA funds. We have also recovered four weapons used in the firing by the village head and his men. They were licensed weapons,” said Nayyar.

The victims had been identified as Devendra Pratap Singh alias Lathi Singh, 52, and 30-year-old Kanhaiya Pathak. Singh is an SP leader, while another leader of the party and former Lucknow University student leader Vijay Singh alias Titu was among those injured.

On Friday, the police had arrested 11 people, including BJP leader Atul Singh, and invoked the National Security Act (NSA) against the accused for allegedly shooting the SP leader and injuring four.