Shots fired during fight between two groups in UP's Gonda; 2 killed

Two persons were killed and three others injured when gunshots were fired during a fight between two groups in Uttar Pradesh's Gonda district on Friday, police said.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has taken serious note of the incident, as it took place during the ongoing lockdown, and warned the administration officials.

The incident happened when some officials had gone to Paraspatti Majhwar village in Umri Begamganj area to probe into the complaints of irregularities in MGNREGA payments, Tarabganj Circle Officer Mahaveer Singh said.

During the probe, the complainants and a group of supporters of village head exchanged heated arguments, following which shots were fired by one of the groups, police said.

Devendra Pratap Singh (52) and Kanhaiyalal Pathak (30) were hit by bullets and the two men died while being taken to the district hospital, they said.

Chandra Mohan Yadav (35), Vijay Kumar Singh (32) and Atul Singh (19) were seriously injured, police said.

Vijay Kumar sustained injuries in the neck and has been referred to a medical facility in Lucknow, they said.

Senior officials have rushed to the the village and additional force has been deployed in the area, police said.

A government spokesperson in Lucknow said the chief minister has directed Gonda's district magistrate and superintendent of police to take stern action against the guilty and to invoke National Security Act against them.

The CM has warned the DM and SP for the incident which took place during the lockdown and ordered immediate confiscation of the weapons used in the crime, the spokesperson said.

The chief minister also asked officials to ensure proper treatment of the injured an extended his condolences to the bereaved families, the spokesperson added.