‘Repeated assaults led to shooting’

Varanasi: Police arrested Manjit Chauhan, the prime accused in the murder of Surya Pratap Singh on Uday Pratap College campus, on Friday evening and sent him to jail on Saturday.Chauhan said that Surya along with other hostel inmates used to harass and even physically assault him with intent to insult. Due to it, Chauhan, who had mentioned his ambition to become a mafia on social media, decided to eliminate him and purchased a country-made pistol. Following the Friday morning assault, he finally executed his plan. The other accused in the case is absconding.DCP, Kashi zone, said that Chauhan, the accused in the killing of BSc semester-IV student Surya Pratap Singh, was arrested and sent to jail after being produced before the court on Saturday. Search for his accomplice is continuing, he added. During interrogation, Chauhan said that he and Surya studied in the same class. He added that Surya used to thrash him frequently as he had support of hostel inmates. After Chauhan and his friends were beaten up with sugarcane sticks and lathis near the college gate on Mar 17, the matter was reported to Gilat Bazaar police outpost, but the complainant withdrew his complaint. On Mar 20, when Manjeet was targeted again he finalised his plan to eliminate Surya.On March 20 afternoon, Chauhan opened indiscriminate fire in full public view and fled. While jumping from the roof to escape, he suffered a fracture in his leg, although he managed to get out of the college and board an e-rickshaw to reach Kutchery where he called an acquaintance. However, he could not dodge the teams formed to arrest him for long and was nabbed by late evening.When cops tried to know the whereabouts of Chauhan, it came to light that he dwelt in Chandmari area for studies and his behaviour with his own family members and neighbours was not good. Chauhan posed as 'Manjeet Mafia' on Instagram, and used to tell his close associates that he aspired to become a gangster.On Saturday, MLC Vishal Singh Chanchal visited village Dubaetha and met father Rishi Dev Singh to express condolences. The MLC assured the family of justice and said that the guilty would not be spared. He said he would raise this matter before chief minister Yogi Adityanath. He also provided financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh to the victim's family.On Friday, accused Chauhan sprayed Surya with bullets on the college campus. The incident sparked massive protest in and around the college.