Agra: BJP leader murdered, villagers thrash accused to death

AGRA: A Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP) leader was shot dead by two men during a heated argument in Agra's Mehra Naharganj village on late Monday night. The villagers, who reached the spot after hearing the shots fired, surrounded the accused and started beating them. However, when the police arrived at the spot, the angry villagers started beating them too when they were trying to save the convicts from the public thrashing. The villagers later torched the Police Response Vehicle (PRV). "Victim Nathuram Verma and his two friends were having a heated argument, which led to the killing of Verma. As soon as we got information, a PRV with an inspector was deployed. Upon arrival, the inspector saw that brothers Sudhir and Samar were being beaten up by the public. The Inspector tried to save them, but the public got agitated and started thrashing him too," Ashok Muth Jain, Inspector General, Agra zone, said. Jain further said that Sudhir later succumbed to his injuries and Samar is absconding. The police, however, could not confirm the exact cause of argument and subsequent death. Jain said the matter is being investigated. Upon receiving information about the incident SP rural, IG, SSP and DM also reached the spot. PAC has been deployed in the village. (With inputs from ANI)