Block pramukh stabbed, communal tension in Jaunpur

Block pramukh stabbed, communal tension in Jaunpur
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

LUCKNOW, NOVEMBER 23: Communal tension gripped the Bhaupur and Ataria villages under Nevadia police station in Jaunpur today after six persons, including one Block Pramukh Kailash Singh, died in a day's violence. This is the third incident of communal violence since Rajnath Singh took over as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister.

Tension had been runinng high in the area after a local student, Zahiruddin, died in clashes on November 9. The block pramukh had gone to Bhaupur village to talk to the community leaders, and when he was returning on his motorcycle, he was attacked, reportedly by Muslims from the area. Singh tried to flee, but fell off the vehicle. He was hacked to death with an axe.

Supporters of the block pramukh, who was the brother of former BJP MLA Raghuraj Singh, stopped an Ambassador car in which members of the minority community were travelling. They shot three of them dead and set the car on fire. Two more persons were reportedly killed, but the bodies of only four persons have been recovered so far.

UP's Principal Home Secretary, Hemendra Kumar, said the Inspector General of Police, District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police rushed to the spot of the killings. According to them, the two groups that clashed were old enemies.

Uttar Pradesh is witnessing its third wave of communal tension. Around 11 persons were killed in the Shia Sunni clashes in Mubarakpur, Azamgarh on November 5. Communal clashes were also reported from Kanpur on November 12.