Former pradhan shot at, rushed to trauma centre

Lucknow: A former village head was shot at by unidentified assailants near Baburi village in the Ramkot area of Sitapur on Monday evening.
The victim, identified as 45-year-old Gopinath Yadav, suffered multiple gunshot wounds. He was immediately referred to a trauma centre in Lucknow.
According to the victim's family, the attack was carried out due to an ongoing rivalry for the pradhan's post. Yadav's son alleged that current village head was behind the attack and that his father was targeted over political enmity. "Five rounds were fired and my father was hit by three bullets," he claimed.
Yadav, a resident of Bargadiya village and former head of the Jaitikheda gram panchayat, currently works as a clerk for an advocate in the city. Around 8:30 pm on Monday, while returning home on his motorcycle, he was ambushed by bike-borne attackers who fired multiple rounds at him near Baburi and Bargadiya villages.
Local police have launched an investigation to determine the motive behind the attack and identify the culprits. Officials are examining whether the incident was indeed politically motivated or stemmed from any other dispute.
Meanwhile, Yadav's condition remains critical as doctors at the trauma centre continue to monitor his health.