Youth shot dead in Azamgarh; land dispute suspected motive

Varanasi: A 40-year-old youth was shot dead by unidentified miscreants near Junedganj bypass under Kotwali police station area in Azamgarh district on Saturday night. A land dispute is suspected as reason behind his murder.Azamgarh SP Anil Kumar on Sunday said teams were engaged for early arrest of his murderers after sending the body for post mortem. Preliminary investigation suggests the youth, identified as Rajnish alias Raju (40) of Mara Karmnath Patti village under Raunapar police station, was murdered over land dispute. During initial police investigation, it came to light that Rajnish was heading to the district headquarters on a motorbike on Saturday night. As he was passing through a culvert near Junedganj bypass, some motorcycle-borne assailants opened fire at him and fled. Rajnish fell on the road after a bullet injury in his right shoulder. Locals rushed him to the district hospital, where he died in the course of treatment.SP, CO City Shubham Todi and other police officials reached the spot, where Rajnish's wife, Ranjana Pandey, who is posted at the district women's hospital, was present. She accused some people of threatening Rajnish over a land dispute recently.