In a shocking incident, Brijesh Singh (51), a former Gram Pradhan and BJP leader was shot dead in the Gulharia Bazar area of Gorakhpur district, the hometown of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. As per reports, the senior leader was returning home after campaigning when he was shot dead late Friday night by unidentified assailants. Brijesh was BJP’s Sector In charge. Eyewitnesses claimed that motorbike-borne assailants came from behind and intercepted Brijesh. Before the BJP leader could understand anything, they pumped several shots on his head and body and fled after leaving him in a pool of blood.
Villagers rushed to the spot after hearing gunshots. They took Brijesh to the hospital where he was declared dead on arrival. The former Gram Pradhan was contesting the elections again and was to file his nomination on Saturday. Family members alleged that his rivals, who did not want him to contest against, were behind his murder. The police have recovered empty cartridges of .315 bore at the crime scene. The SSP Gorakhpur Dinesh Kumar said that primarily political rivalry or property seems to be the motive behind the murder. “But we are looking into all possible angles. Police teams have been formed to arrest the assailants,” said the SSP. In the past ten days over a dozen people have been murdered in Gorakhpur, the hometown of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.