SP booth agent shot dead in UP

Shahjahanpur (UP): A booth agent of the Samajwadi Party was allegedly shot dead on Tuesday by a rival group in a village here over a dispute during polling in Tilhar constituency, police said. A villager was also seriously injured in the incident, they said.

Superintendent of Police (City) Sanjay Kumar said Samajwadi Party booth agent Sudhir Kumar (20) was shot dead in Vikrampur Chakora village on Tuesday morning when he was going to attend nature's call. A villager also sustained serious injuries in the firing and was admitted to the hospital.

On Monday night, there was a dispute between Kumar and a group of villagers over the casting of votes in Tilhar constituency in the second phase of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, he said.

Dilip Kumar, in-charge of Nigohi police station, under which the village falls, was attached to the Police Lines following the dispute, the officer said.

He said the police are keeping a close eye on the situation in Nigohi area and additional forces have been deployed in view of the tense situation.

In a separate incident in the constituency, six people were injured on Monday night after Akash Tiwari, a supporter of BJP candidate Salona Kushwaha, and his associates were beaten up by a rival group led by SP candidate Roshan Lal Verma, police sources said.