2 SP leaders shot dead in UP

Two Samajwadi Party leaders were shot dead by unidentified persons in separate incidents in Uttar Pradesh on Friday, police said, ruling out any political rivalry in both the cases.

Lalji Yadav, 41, was shot dead around 9.30 am near Siddiquepur in Khwaja Sarai area of Jaunpur district. He was travelling on his SUV on the Shahganj-Jaunpur road and had stopped to talk to someone when by three motorcycle-borne men intercepted the vehicle and opened fire, the police said.

Yadav, a contractor who had murder and other criminal cases against him, was rushed to a hospital but succumbed to injuries, an officer said.

Prima facie, it appears to be a case of personal enmity and not any political rivalry, district Superintendent of Police Ashish Tiwari said.

Yadav is also charged under the Gangsters Act, the officer said. "It is possible that he was in touch with criminals also and the killing is a resultant of personal issues."