BSP Leader Shot Dead in Allahabad, Motive Not Yet Known

New Delhi: A BSP leader has been shot dead in Allahabad by bike-borne assailants.

Mohammad Shami was shot dead inside his home by unknown assailants who then escaped on a bike on Sunday night.

Police said that so far it doesn't seems to be a fallout of any political rivalry and is not related to recently concluded Assembly elections. Shami was associated with the BSP.

However, Shami’s family has alleged that the murder was a result of a conspiracy. On their complaint, a case of conspiracy had been registered against some local leaders said to be associated to BJP.

According to BSP sources, Shami had joined the party last year soon after losing the panchayat polls, ending his long association with the Samajwadi Party.

He had also contested the assembly polls in 2002 on an SP ticket from Kunda against controversial independent MLA Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiya who went on to become a minister in the previous Akhilesh Yadav government in Uttar Pradesh.

Reacting to the murder, Mayawati said, “Either BJP or SP in UP cannot control the law and order conditions. Yogi Adityanath is the CM now and being a mahant he will just communalise UP and won't be doing any development in the state."

Adequate deployment of police has been made in the area to keep the situation under control and Shami's supporters who were squatting on the highway have been dispersed, Senior Superintendent of Police Shalabh Mathur said, adding that a search was on to nab those named in the FIR lodged by Shami's family members.

UP DGP Javeed Ahmed said, "An investigation is going on and action will be taken."