BSP worker shot dead in Ghaziabad

A Bahujan Samaj Party worker was shot dead by unidentified men in Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad district on Wednesday morning, police said.

Shabbir Zaidi, who was a former constable and now is a property dealer, was out for a morning walk in Uttaranchal Vihar colony of Loni town when the incident happened around 6.15 am, a police officer said.

Two men, who were waiting for Zaidi inside a car, came outside and physically assaulted him. The assailants pumped six bullets into his head and stomach, Superintendent of Police (Rural) Neeraj Kumar Jadaun said.

Zaidi was rushed to a hospital where the doctors declared him "brought dead". Prima facie, it seems to be matter of property dispute, Jadaun said.

Five empty cartridges have been recovered from the spot. The assailants have used 32 and 9-mm pistols. The CCTV footage of the area has been obtained and an investigation is on, the officer added.

Zaidi had taken voluntary retirement from the post of the head constable in 2003. In 2006, he had contested as an Independent for the post of the Loni municipal chairman.