Main accused in Ballia murder sent to 14 days judicial custody

Dhirendra Pratap Singh, the main accused in the Ballia firing incident in which a man was killed, was sent to 14 days judicial custody, a day after he was arrested.

Ballia (Uttar Pradesh): BJP leader Dhirendra Pratap Singh, who allegedly shot dead a man on October 15 in Uttar Pradesh's Ballia, was on Monday sent to 14 days judicial custody.

The Chief Judicial Magistrate of the Ballia district court sent the accused to 14 days judicial custody.

Singh, who was arrested in Lucknow yesterday, was brought back to Ballia Police Station after a medical test today morning.

Amidst heavy security, the accused was brought to the district court.

Prime accused Dhirendra Singh was booked under sections 147, 148, 149, 302, 323, 352,504,506, and 7CLA act police station Rewati, Ballia, UP ADG Prashant Kumar had said yesterday.

Earlier on October 15, Dhirendra Pratap Singh, a local BJP leader, had allegedly shot dead Jai Prakash Pal Gama (46) following a quarrel over the allotment of ration shops at Durjanpur village in Ballia's Reoti area.

Fired in self-defence: Singh tells police

Meanwhile, Singh has told police that he fired in self-defence and claimed the other side started the quarrel, officials said today.

He also assured police that he would help in the recovery of the weapon used in the crime, they said.

"DIG Azamgarh range Subhash Chandra Dubey interrogated Dhirendra Pratap Singh for nearly an hour, and he gave the details of the incident. He assured the police that he would help in the recovery of the weapon (used in the crime), and said that he had fired in self-defence," said SHO of Kotwali police station Vipin Singh.

Read:Main accused in Ballia firing arrested from Ghazipur

He told police that around 2,000 people had gathered in the village on Thursday and there was a fracas over the allotment of ration shops, the SHO said.

The accused claimed that the other side started the quarrel and opened fire, injuring his nephew and five-six women of his family. His nephew later succumbed to his injuries, he added.

Singh also blamed the sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) and the circle officer for the incident, the police said.

He alleged that the SDM colluded with the other side.

He claimed that initially, the SDM had announced that the allotment of shops will be done on the basis of majority. But later he said only those having identity cards can take part in the voting, according to the police.

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The Uttar Pradesh government has already suspended the SDM, the circle officer and other policemen present at the spot.

Besides Singh, four others -- Santosh Yadav, Amarjeet Yadav, Ajay Singh and Dharmendra Singh -- were arrested in connection with the case from Ballia on Sunday.

So far, police have arrested 10 people in the case, in which an FIR has been lodged against around 30 people, most of whom are yet to be identified.

(With inputs from agencies)