Cops at PM rally, kids killed for ransom

EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

LUCKNOW, FEBRUARY 17: While Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee was addressing poll rallies in various localities of the city last evening seeking votes for his party candidates, in another corner people were staging violent protests against the killing of two children of a trader by kidnappers for ransom.

Angry residents of Daliganj locality gheraoed the Kotwali and demanded the sacking of police officers who failed to save the lives of these children.

They did not spare even Vajpayee’s aide Lalji Tandon, also BJP candidate of the area, when he reached the spot alongwith the District Magistrate and the Senior Superintendent of Police to pacify the crowd.

The SSP then called in the PAC to control the situation, but in vain. The crowd turned unruly. They dispersed only after the Minister and senior officials ordered an inquiry into the incident.

The father of the children, Ayush (7) and three-year old Manshi, wheat dealer Gopal Agrawal alleges that had the police acted on time the lives of the children could have been saved.

The residents are also angry with their MP Vajpayee because it was for his security that the police had been called from the police station, leaving no one to recover the children.

The children were reportedly kidnapped by the rickshawala who used to drop them at school every day and some of his friends on Thursday last. When they failed to get the ransom money (Rs 50,000) they killed the children.

Police have recovered their bodies and arrested the rickshawala and his two friends.

The BJP is worried because the incident occurred on the eve of the polls.

Lalji Tandon was busy the whole day pacifying the parents and residents of the area who have decided not to vote for the BJP in protest.