Ballia firing: Charges under NSA, Gangster Act will be slapped on accused, say police

PTI, Oct 17, 2020, 2:12 PM IST

Ballia: Charges under the stringent National Security Act (NSA) and the Gangster Act will be slapped on the accused in the killing of a man during a fracas at a meeting attended by administration and police officials in Uttar Pradesh”s Ballia district, police said on Saturday.

The local BJP leader who shot dead the 46-year-old man on Thursday remained at large, along with five other accused.

DIG (Azamgarh Range) Subhash Chandra Dubey has announced a cash reward of Rs 50,000 on information leading to the arrest of each of the accused.

The police have so far arrested two people, including the brother of the BJP leader, and detained five others.

Dubey said, “A cash reward of Rs 50,000 has been announced on each of the absconding accused. Action will also be initiated under the National Security Act (NSA) and the Gangster Act against the accused.”

Under the NSA, one can be detained without a charge for up to 12 months if the authorities are satisfied that the person is a threat to national security or law and order.

Under Section 14 of the Gangsters Act, a district magistrate can order attachment of a property, whether movable or immovable, if there is reason to believe that it has been acquired by a gangster as commission for an offence triable under this law.

BJP leader Dhirendra Pratap Singh allegedly shot dead Jai Prakash on Thursday as a fracas broke out at the meeting at Durjanpur village in the Reoti police station area of the district over allotment of ration shops.

Accused Singh, in a video that has gone viral on social media, blamed the SDM, CO and police of ignoring his request to deploy police personnel during the meeting and claimed that one of his family members died in the incident while eight were injured.

Singh also said that he served the Army for 18 years and that day he only tried to save his family as he saw his 80-year-old father and sister-in-law being attacked in presence of administration officials.

His brother Narendra Pratap Singh and one Devendra Pratap Singh have been arrested in the case. Police have formed 12 teams to nab the remaining accused.

Police admitted that there appeared to be “laxity” on their part and suspended nine personnel — three sub-inspectors and six constables — posted at the Reoti police station.

Sub divisional magistrate (SDM) Suresh Chandra Pal and circle officer of police Chandrakesh Singh were suspended on the directions of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath soon after the incident on Thursday.