Smriti Irani’s close aide Surendra Singh shot dead in Amethi
AMETHI : Former Baraulia village chief Surendra Singh, a close aide of newly-elected BJP MP Smriti Irani, was shot dead in Amethi constituency in the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday.
Unidentified assailants opened fire at Singh at his residence in Baraulia village under Jamo police station jurisdiction. He was rushed to the trauma centre but died on the way. According to emerging reports, the 50-year-old local leader was assassinated while he was celebrating Irani’s victory from Amethi, a traditional Gandhi bastion.
Smriti Irani reached Amethi on Sunday afternoon to meet the family of Surendra Singh, a former village head who was shot dead early on Sunday. Irani met the family members of the deceased and attended the cremation. Singh was shot dead while he was sleeping outside his house. The assailants came on motorbikes and sprayed him with bullets.
Singh’s son Abhay told reporters, “We could not see the perpetrators but it is clear that Congress workers are behind this. My father was actively campaigning for Smriti Irani and the BJP.”The brother of the deceased, Rajendra, also termed it a political killing. He said his brother wielded considerable influence in his village as well as in adjoining villages and this led to his murder.
Irani would often be accompanied by village party chiefs and leaders during campaigning for Lok Sabha Election 2019. Singh would always accompany Irani as she campaigned in Jamo.
Baraulia village was in news during campaigning in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, as Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had accused Smriti Irani of distributing shoes to the residents in order to insult Rahul Gandhi, reported news agency PTI.
Locals claim that Singh was involved in the distribution of footwear during campaigning.”He was shot around 3 AM. We’ve taken a few suspects into custody. “He was shot around 3 AM. We’ve taken a few suspects into custody. Investigation on. It can be due to an old dispute or a political dispute”
Irani emerged as BJP’s giant killer after defeating Congress president Rahul Gandhi in Amethi by a margin of 55,120 votes, dealing a major blow to the grand old party. The Congress leader had been winning from Amethi from the 2004 Lok Sabha election.
Uttar Pradesh Minister Mohsin Raza, who is in charge of Amethi, said the killers would be arrested within 24 hours. Director General of Police (DGP) OP Singh said seven suspects had been detained in connection with the murder and were being interrogated. He said the police had got crucial leads in the matter. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed the DGP to ensure the arrest of the killers at the earliest.
Speaking to reporters after the cremation, Irani said, “I’ve taken an oath before Surendra Singh ji’s family, the one who and the one who ordered it, even if I have to go the Supreme Court to get the culprits a death sentence, we will knock at the doors of the court.”
Irani also asked party workers to exercise restraint, even as she attacked Congress president Rahul Gandhi over his ‘take-care-of-Amethi-with-love’ remark.Irani told reporters, “My request to all party workers is that we should exercise restraint.”
Irani, who unseated Gandhi from his bastion when results were announced on May 23, said Singh was killed so that Amethi could be “terrorised, disintegrated and bowed down.”
“On (May) 23, I was given a message that take care of Amethi with love. To the person, who gave me the message, I would like to say that I have received the message loud and clear,” she said referring to Gandhi’s remarks on the counting day.
Gandhi had said, “I would like that Smriti Iraniji takes care of Amethi with love and I hope that she will reward the trust that Amethi’s people have reposed in her.” (With Agency Inputs ).
