An irate mob blocked the Agra-Delhi Highway late on Friday night by placing the body of a BSP worker who was shot dead allegedly by his rivals in Farah area of Mathura district earlier in the evening.

The police today arrested the gram pradhan of the area, Sunita Devi, for allegedly orchestrating the murder.

Mathura SSP B D Paulson said that the BSP worker, Bhagwan Singh (42), and his brother Munna of Pingri village were on their way home from the local market when unidentified assailants fired at them.

The injured were rushed to a private hospital in Agra where Singh was declared dead on arrival. The condition of his brother was stated to be critical.

Angry over the incident the locals blocked the highway and demanded the arrest of the accused and action against the local station officer (SO). The SSP and other officials later pacified the protestors and got the blockade removed.

Meanwhile, the Farah police station SO Pankaj Rai said Singh’s brother accused the Sunita Devi and her husband Pappu for playing a role in the murder. Pappu is lodged in the jail for over six months in a case of attempt to murder related to Bhagwan Singh’s associate. Singh was one of the witnesses in the case.

Rai added that the primary investigation revealed that Sunita had visited her husband two days ago and the details collected so far indicated that the couple had hatched the conspiracy for the attack.

While Sunita has been arrested her husband’s name has been included as a key conspirator in the murder case, the SSP said.