‘Hubby said he was attacked by 30 men’

LUCKNOW : Two of the five accused named in the FIR for alleged murder of BJP youth wing leader Pratyush Mani Tripathi were arrested while they were going to surrender in court on Tuesday but were intercepted by police.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced an ex gratia relief of Rs 10 lakh to the kin of the deceased BJYM leader’s family and also strict action to be taken against the accussed.

Pratyush’s wife Pratima had named five persons — Adnan, Salman, Shibu, Dhruv Verma, Rohit Singh and 25 unidentified others — for murdering her husband.

Adnan and Salman were arrested following overnight protest by

Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha

(BJYM) activists at KGMU Trauma Centre where Pratyush died during treatment.

Pratima told police that a man called from her husband’s mobile and informed that Pratyush, former BJYM state secretary, had met with an accident in Mahanagar and is undergoing treatment at KGMU.

“I reached KGMU where Pratyush told me that Adnan, Salman, Shibu, Dhruv Verma, Rohit Singh and 25 others had attacked him,” she said.

When Pratyush succumbed, the outfit’s members started raising slogans demanding resignation of SSP Kalanidhi Naithani. District magistrate Kaushal Raj Sharma, IG (Lucknow range) and ADG (Lucknow zone) also reached the spot and tried to pacify the workers who demanded arrest of killers, suspension of SSP Lucknow and Rs 50 lakh compensation for family. It was only when minister Brajesh Pathak arrived and assured action that the family filed a complaint and let the body be taken for autopsy which revealed perforated lungs and injuries on left part of body, head and shoulder.

IG (Lucknow range) Sujeet Pandey ordered suspension of Kaiserbagh station house officer Dhirendra Kushwaha for failing to take action in November 25 incident.

“Salman and Adnan have not confessed their involvement in the murder,” said SSP Lucknow Kalanidhi Naithani.