Amethi: Former Baraulia village chief Surendra Singh, a close aide of newly-elected BJP MP Smriti Irani, was shot dead in Amethi constituency in the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday.
Unidentified assailants opened fire at Singh at his residence in Baraulia village under Jamo police station jurisdiction. He was rushed to the trauma centre but died on the way.
Update: 6-7 persons detained in connection with Surendra Singh murder case
According to emerging reports, the 50-year-old local leader was assassinated while he was celebrating Irani's victory from Amethi, a traditional Gandhi bastion.
Irani would often be accompanied by village party chiefs and leaders during campaigning for Lok Sabha Election 2019. Singh would always accompany Irani as she campaigned in Jamo.
Baraulia village was in news during campaigning in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, as Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had accused Smriti Irani of distributing shoes to the residents in order to insult Rahul Gandhi, reported news agency PTI. Locals claim that Singh was involved in the distribution of footwear during campaigning.
"He was shot around 3 AM. We've taken a few suspects into custody. Investigation on. It can be due to an old dispute or a political dispute," Amethi SP told news agency ANI.
Amethi: Surendra Singh, ex-village head of Baraulia, was shot dead by unidentified assailants at his residence, last night. Amethi SP says, "He was shot around 3 AM. We've taken a few suspects into custody. Investigation on. It can be due to an old dispute or a political dispute" pic.twitter.com/VYPy9jYDCR
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) May 26, 2019
A police investigation into the matter is underway.
Irani emerged as BJP's giant killer after defeating Congress president Rahul Gandhi in Amethi by a margin of 55,120 votes, dealing a major blow to the grand old party. The Congress leader had been winning from Amethi from the 2004 Lok Sabha election.
