Blast, firing in Uttar Pradesh court kills two

Two people were killed and over a dozen injured Wednesday when crude bombs went off and firing followed in a Uttar Pradesh district court, police said.

Officials said the bomb blasts and firing at the Faizabad district court was part of an attack aimed at former legislator from Sultanpur Sonu Singh and his brother Monu Singh.

Angry lawyers roughed up senior police official Shailendra Singh, blaming him for laxity in providing security in the court premises.

The two brothers were in the court in a murder case when the attack took place, Additional Director General of Police Mukul Goel told IANS.

They were crossing court gate number 3 when bombs were lobbed at them. Gun shots were also fired but it is not clear who fired them.

Monu Singh, who is a block pramukh (chief), sustained injuries in the attack, officials said.

A large number of policemen and officials rushed to the spot. A bomb disposal squad and sniffer dogs were pressed into service to trace the assailants.

One of those killed was an attacker, officials said.

Police ruled out the possibility that the attack was a terror act and blamed it on an old enmity between the two brothers and a local strongman.

The two were named in the murder of Sant Gyaneshwar in 2005.

"We are exploring all angles in the case and the security at the court has been beefed up," an official said.