Sonbhadra massacre's key accused close to ex-SP MLA: CM's media advisor

Amid the war of words between the BJP and SP over the political links of the main accused in the Sonbhadra massacre, the Uttar Pradesh government Sunday said he was a close aide of former SP MLA Ramesh Chandra Dubey.

"The main accused in the Sonbhadra clash, village pradhan Yagyadutt was a close aide of former SP MLA Ramesh Chandra Dubey," said media advisor Mrityunjay Kumar to UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Dubey was an SP MLA from Ghorawal assembly segment.

"A person wielding clout, Yagyadutt campaigned for the SP in the past election. The brother of village pradhan used to get contracts for construction of roads before 2017," said Kumar in a statement here.

The UP chief minister's media advisor said the formation of the Adarsh Co-operative Society Umbha, Saphi was the main reason for the dispute.

"This society was formed by Maheshwar Prasad Narayan, who was the uncle of senior Congress leader from Bihar and former UP Governor Chandeshwar Prasad Narayan Singh. Maheshwar Prasad Narayan was a Congress Rajya Sabha MP from Bihar from 1952-56," the statement said.

Maheshwar Prasad Narayan had taken the land from the then king Anand Brahm Shah by forming the society, he said.

In 1989, the land of this society was transferred to individual society members in their names, the statement added.