Kannauj (UP), Nov 9 (PTI) A 36-year-old lawyer was shot dead allegedly by a Congress district general secretary in Uttar Pradesh's Kannauj district on Diwali night following an argument, police said on Monday.
The accused, Amol Dixit, has been booked for the murder of advocate Anuj Kumar Chaturvedi, who was shot dead near the Chhibramau police station on Sunday night. Dixit is absconding, and six police teams have been formed to arrest him, officials said.
Chhibramau Kotwali Station House Officer Kapil Dubey said the incident followed a dispute over Dixit allegedly slapping Chaturvedi's cousin, Basant, over political rivalry.
Basant informed Chaturvedi about the incident, following which the lawyer accompanied his cousin to Dixit's residence. An argument broke out between the two sides, Dubey said.
Dixit allegedly pulled out his pistol and fired four rounds at Chaturvedi, who collapsed on the spot. He was rushed to a hospital in Chhibramau, where doctors declared him dead, the SHO said.
Police and administrative officials, including Superintendent of Police Vinod Kumar and District Magistrate Ashutosh Mohan Agnihotri, visited the site.
Superintendent of Police Vinod Kumar said that based on a complaint lodged by the brother of the deceased, a case has been registered against Amol Dixit, Avadh Bihari Dixit and Munni Devi under sections 103(1) (punishment for murder), 3(5) (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention), 115(2) (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) and 351(3) (criminal intimidation) of the BNS.
The SP also informed that the post-mortem report identified the cause of death as excessive blood loss and shock resulting from a gunshot wound. Following the post-mortem, the body was cremated. He added that the police would soon arrest the main accused.
As tension prevailed in the area following the killing, additional police personnel were deployed outside the residences of the accused and the deceased, officials said.
Six teams have been constituted to arrest Dixit, who fled after the shooting, they said, adding that his family members are also suspected to have left their house, which was found locked.
BJP MLA from Chhibramau, Archana Pandey, visited the hospital after the incident. The MLA, who shares family ties with Chaturvedi's family, was seen crying after viewing the body.
Kannauj Congress district president Shakir Ali confirmed that Dixit was the party's district general secretary.
Dixit had also contested the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections as an independent candidate.
