Gram pradhan assaults woman, kin over petty dispute

Lucknow: A gram pradhan and his associates allegedly assaulted a woman after she refused to allow them to drink alcohol and burst firecrackers near her house on Thursday. After the woman filed a complaint with the police, her son and nephews were stopped in the market by the accused and assaulted as well, leaving one in critical condition.As per reports, the victim, Uma Yadav, of Amaniganj in Malihabad town, stopped Shekhu alias Salim, Mahesh, Sandeep alias Lallu, Shripal, and Suresh Rawat from drinking alcohol near her house on Diwali afternoon. Miffed by this, the youths barged into her home and began beating her. They also assaulted her family members who came to her rescue. When neighbours gathered outside the victim's house, the assailants threatened to kill the woman before fleeing the scene. The woman then lodged a complaint at the Malihabad police station. After learning about the police complaint, the accused confronted Uma's son Mohit Yadav and her nephews Rahul and Abhishek on their way home from the market, beating them with sticks. In the attack, Mohit sustained serious head injuries and was admitted to the trauma centre, where his condition remains critical. The main accused in the incident, Shekhu alias Salim, is the village head of the nearby Gram Panchayat Kasmandi Khurd. In her complaint, the woman said that the main accused fired several gunshots to instill fear during the incident. "Besides, he also looted Rahul's gold chain," she alleged. "The accused party has also filed a complaint at the police station. The police are investigating the matter," said Suresh Singh, SHO of Malihabad.