Politicians back shutdown to protest former MP’s murder

LUCKNOW - Several political parties in Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut district Thursday joined in a shutdown called by the traders’ union to protest the murder of a former MP.

Activists of the Samajwadi Party (SP), Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) took out demonstrations in Meerut even as prominent markets, petrol pumps and several private educational institutions remained closed to protest the murder of three-time MP Amar Pal Singh of the BJP.

Singh was shot dead Monday by unidentified car-borne gunmen in Meerut’s Mawana town, some 450 km from here.

“The bandh remained by and large successful… Important markets, several cinema halls and shopping complexes remained closed,” Shahid Manzoor, an SP legislator, told reporters in Meerut.

“Actually, the bandh was against the state government’s failure to maintain law and order… If the culprits involved in the murder are not arrested soon, we would intensify our agitation in the coming days,” he added.

While Singh was going to his brick kiln on the outskirts of Mawana town, some assailants, who were in a Santro car, hit Singh’s Scorpio car from behind. As Singh came out of the vehicle, the assailants fired at Singh, who died on the spot.

Initially, police suspected it to be a case of road rage. However, officials later claimed that it was a well-planned murder. No one has been arrested in connection with the murder till now.