UP: Husband of Hindu Mahasabha leader arrested in connection with murder

Aligarh (UP), Sep 28 (PTI) The police on Sunday arrested the husband of a Hindu Mahasabha leader in connection with the murder of a local businessman, who was fatally shot by two unidentified assailants on Friday.

The arrested individual, identified as Ashok Pandey, husband of Hindu Mahasabha national general secretary Pooja Shakun Pandey, follows a complaint filed by the victim's father, naming both.

A police official informed PTI that Ashok Pandey has been in custody since Saturday morning, but was put under arrest on Sunday and was being sent to jail.

A Rorawar police station official said two other persons involved in the shooting remained unidentified and were on the run.

The shooting incident occurred late Friday night at the main Kherreshwar Mandir crossing in the Rorawar police station area, on the outskirts of the city.

Following the incident, SSP Neeraj Kumar told reporters that, according to the victim's father, he, along with his son Abhishek Gupta and his nephew Jeetu, was boarding a bus when two armed men suddenly opened fire.

Gupta was rushed to the Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.

The SSP said the victim's father had accused the Pandey couple of planning the murder over a monetary dispute.

It has been alleged that the couple had been harassing the victim for a long time.

An investigation is underway, the SSP said. PTI COR CDN PRK PRK AMJ AMJ