Bajrang Dal functionary shot dead in Noida, 3 accused arrested

A 24-year-old Bajrang Dal functionary was allegedly killed by armed men here, police said on Friday.

Following the killing, scores of people gathered at a police station to protest "police inaction" in the case.

The police have initiated departmental inquiry into the allegations of inaction and suspended the in-charge of a police post, officials said.

Three of the seven accused have been arrested, the police said.

Ajay Chaudhary, a resident of J J Colony in Sector 8, was called out of his house around 9.30 on Thursday night by Sarfaraz, who took him to the road where the other accused were waiting, the police said.

"There they caught hold of him and Jeetu shot him in the chest while four more rounds were fired on him by others before they fled the spot brandishing the firearms," the police said.

One of the neighbours who saw the incident rushed to help and alerted others. Soon Ajay was taken to hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival, the police said, citing the complaint.

Those accused have been identified as Shehzaad, Ashraf, Zafar, Sartaj, Rafeeq, Jeetu Yadav, Sitabu while two others remained unidentified, the police said.

"Three of them -- Zafar Ali, Sitabuddin Ansari and Sartaj Khan -- have been arrested arrested," the police said.

According to Vijay Chaudhary, his brother Ajay had made several complaints with the police as well as local authorities about the accused persons running betting racket, illicit liquor trade, drug trafficking and other illegal businesses.

A case was registered at the Sector 20 police station which has lodged an FIR for murder and related offences.

Scores of protesters reached the Noida Sector 20 police station and demanded strict action against the culprits and sought compensation for the family of the victim.

"We have demanded Rs 1 crore in compensation to the family of the deceased along with a house. Ajay was staying with his old parents in a J J Colony and was the sole support for them as his elder brother lives in some other city," Umanand Kaushik, in-charge of Gautam Buddh Nagar unit of the Visva Hindu Parishad (VHP), said.

"We have also demanded strict action against the errant police officials because Ajay had already made complaints to them. Had they taken some action, a precious life would not have been lost," Kaushik, who led the protest, told PTI.

The protestors have submitted a letter of their demands, addressed to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, to the Noida City Magistrate.

Taking note of the concerns raised by the protesters, the police have initiated an inquiry against the policemen concerned in the case.

"The in-charge of police post Jhundpura in Sector 8 has been suspended while orders given for a departmental inquiry in the matter over the complaints of negligence by local police," a police spokesperson said.