Eight arrested in Ballia shooting

As many as eight persons have been arrested by the Uttar Pradesh Police in the Ballia village shootout while BJP MLA Surendra Singh has defended the prime accused terming it 'an act of self-defence'.

Ballia: Police in Uttar Pradesh have arrested as many as eight people in connection with the Ballia firing incident where a local BJP leader shot dead a man as a fracas broke out on Thursday during a meeting attended by administration and police officials.

Jaiprakash Pal alias Gama was killed when Dhirendra Pratap Singh alias Dabbu opened fire over a dispute that ensued during a meeting at Panchayat Bhawan for the selection of ration shops in Durjanpur village in the Reoti area in Ballia district.

Following a heated argument between groups, Bairiya Deputy District Officer dismissed the polling and Dabbo Singh and his associates opened fire.

Read:|Ballia firing: BJP leader's brother among two arrested, MLA defends main accused

Around 15-20 rounds were fired in air following which Jaiprakash Pal lost his life and Dabbo Singh and his associates fled the crime scene in the presence of Bairiya Deputy District Officer and Block Development Officer.

On Friday noon, police arrested Devendra who is also named in the FIR, police said.

Meanwhile, BJP MLA from Bairia Assembly seat Surendra Singh defended Dhirendra Pratap Singh, who is the district unit president of the BJP ex-servicemen cell, and demanded a CB-CID probe in the matter.

"Dhirendra Pratap Singh opened fire in self-defence or else dozens of his family and associates would have been killed... He had no other option. It was a do-or-die situation for him," the BJP legislator told reporters here.

He also stated that Dabbo was carrying a licensed revolver which is used for self-defence.

Condemning the incident, he hoped that the administration would do justice and a fair probe will be ordered into the incident.

Read:|BJP leader shots man in front of cops amid fracas at meeting in Uttar Pradesh