Pratapgarh: Tension prevailed in Pithapur Malak village in Pratapgarh district after the body of 52-year-old booth president of the Bharatiya Janata Party was found by the roadside.
The body was found on Saturday and sources said that the deceased, Dhirendra Bahadur Singh, had tried to intervene in a dispute between two parties and was allegedly beaten to death on Friday night.
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Additional SP (east) Surendra Dwivedi and Circle Officer (city) Abhay Pandey rushed to the village with heavy force from five police stations and PAC personnel, but had to face stiff opposition from the kin of the deceased and locals.
After several hours of pacifying the villagers, police finally sent the body for a post-mortem examination.
"We have registered an FIR against two men, both brothers, on the complaint of the deceased's brother-in-law," said circle officer Abhay Pandey.
No arrests have yet been made.
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The victim, Dhirendra Bahadur Singh, was a resident of Pithapur Malak village.
Late on Friday night, two people started cutting sugarcane from the field of a farmer, Rajan Singh, without his permission, which led to an altercation between them.
Dhirendra, who lived close by, reached the spot and snatched the bike keys from the two men. The issue was soon resolved and Rajan and his father Nagendra left for home.
Kohdaur police Station House Officer (SHO) Bachhelal said that Dhirendra went missing after the incident and his body, bearing multiple injury marks, was found on the road the following day.
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The locals alleged that Dhirendra was beaten to death by two brothers, Ranjeet and Vipin Saroj, of the nearby Hatsara Mangapur village after he tried to intervene in their fight.
Additional forces have been deployed in the village to ensure peace.
IANS
