Ex-BSP MLA booked for BJP worker's murder

A former BSP legislator for Sahibabad was booked in the murder case of BJP worker shot dead on Saturday, the Uttar Pradesh Police said.

Police said the brother of deceased Gajendra Singh Bhati has lodged a complaint with the Khoda police station, alleging that his brother was killed at the behest of former Bahujan Samaj Party legislator Amar Pal Sharma.

In his complaint, Yogesh Bhati said that he noticed his brother had been disturbed for the last three-four days and on asking the problem, was told that he (Gajendra Bhati) wanted to contest in the upcoming municipal elections in Khoda but Sharma had threatened him not to enter the fray.

He said that when his brother did not agree, Sharma hired contract killers who killed him and critically injured his party colleague who is struggling for his life at a Noida hospital.

Giving an account of Saturday's crime, he said that around noon, he and his sister-in-law Reena Bhati were travelling in a car and ahead were Gajendra Bhati and his colleague, Balbir Chauhan, riding on a motorcycle.

As they reached near R.K. Memorial school in Khoda, two men started firing at Gajendra Bhati and Chauhan and then fled towards Delhi. Taken to hospital, Bhati was declared dead by doctors.

Yogesh Bhati said that he can recognise the assailants if they are produced before him.

"Both are BJP workers. No complaint has been filed so far but police are attempting to nab the criminals," said an aide to Ghaziabad SSP H.N. Singh.

--IANS

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