(Online Desk)

Guns went blazing when two rival groups were caught in a gang war in Jagdhishpur Kotwali area of Amethi on Tuesday noon leading to the killing of a person and injuring many. Section 144 was clamped in the district and two suspects were detained by police after the incident. Meanwhile, SO, Jagdishpur Kotwali area, was put under suspension.

As per the local sources, around 1 pm, a person named Ashfaq Ahmad,  a resident of Badegaon village, along with two more persons reached Jagdishpur block office in his Tata Safari Storme (registration
number UP 32 GW 8111) to be confronted by four motorbike-borne youths. They got off from two motorcycles and started indiscriminate firing at Ashfaq as soon as he alighted from SUV. He tried to retaliate but in vain. Having received multiple gunshots in abdomen, as Ashfaq slumped to the ground, the rivals  lobbed a number of crude bombs on his SUV before fleeing the spot.

In what is claimed to be a gang war owing to an old rivalry between the two groups, one of the assailants was also injured in the exchange of gunfire while rest of the gang men managed to escape. A passerby was also injured and sustained pellet wounds.

As the incident took place in busy Jagdishpur market area, shopkeepers immediately downed the shutters and local residents started protesting. However, senior police officials , including ADG (zone) Abhay Kumar Prasad rushed to the strife torn area and was camping in the district to keep a tight vigil on the situation.

“We have detained two persons of which one apparently belongs to Bihar. He is suspected to be a sharpshooter who was hired by the rival gang,” said ADG Abhay Kumar assuring that the miscreants would be arrested and dealt with strictly under NSA (National Security Act). Meanwhile, SP Amethi, Kauntal Kishore suspended Jagdishpur Kotawali area SO JB Pandey with immediate effect. Efforts were on by the district administration to pacify the protestors who were demanding action against accused and maintain peace with the deployment of heavy police force.

As per the local sources, Tuesday's gang war had its roots in an old rivalry over supremacy between deceased Ashfaq, himself a criminal, and former block president of Jagdishpur Rajesh Vikram Singh.

Ashfaq was held for attacking Singh with an intent to kill him in March 2015. With the rival group known in Tuesday confrontation, police teams started raiding the houses of people associated with Rajesh and picked up two suspects. ADG Lucknow zone, Abhay Prasad said: “It appears that Rajesh had planned the attack. But we are waiting for Ashfaq’s kin to conduct last rites and tell us more details.”

Police have found that Ashfaq used to support a strongman who had contested elections against Rajesh during polls for block president in the past in Jagdishpur. The two sides used to clash often over establishing supremacy. Meanwhile, extra forces had been summoned to control the irate villagers. “Some people are trying to add communal colour and hence force had been deployed in some sensitive parts,” said an officer in Amethi.