UP: Shopkeeper shot dead over dispute in Ballia, 5 arrested after encounter

Ballia (UP), Dec 26 (PTI) A shopkeeper has been shot dead in a village here allegedly after a dispute over purchase of goods, police said on Friday.

Hours after the incident, five people were arrested after an encounter, during which two of the accused sustained bullet injuries on their legs, they said.

The incident took place in Raghopur village of Ballia district around 10 pm on Thursday.

According to the police, the shopkeeper, Santosh Singh alias Bagi (48), a resident of Belsadi village in Ghazipur district, ran a small shop in Raghopur village. He was returning home after closing his shop on Thursday night when he was shot dead with a country-made pistol. Singh sustained one bullet injury on the head and another in the abdomen, they said.

Rasra Circle Officer (CO) Alok Gupta said the body has been sent for post-mortem.

Based on a complaint from the deceased's son, Aditya Singh, a case has been registered against Praveen Singh of Shekhanpur village in Ghazipur district and two unidentified persons under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the CO said, citing the FIR.

Gupta said that around 5 am on Friday, a Rasra police team stopped some suspicious persons for checking, when they allegedly opened fire at the police team. Police resorted to retaliatory firing, following which the five accused were arrested.

The arrested people were identified as Manjeet Singh alias Om Singh (27) of Madhi village; Sandeep Singh alias Golu Singh (23) of Khajurgaon; Atul Singh alias Babbu Singh (21), Prabhat Singh alias Bunty (22) and Praveen Singh alias Golu (27), all from Shekhanpur village.

During the encounter, Manjeet Singh and Sandeep Singh sustained bullet injuries in their left legs and were admitted to the district hospital, the CO said.

Police recovered three motorcycles, a country-made pistol and cartridges from the possession of the accused. Further investigation is underway, Gupta added. PTI COR CDN RUK RUK