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R Swaminathan in Azamgarh
Tension gripped Gopalpur assembly constituency in Azamgarh on Sunday night when miscreants threw bombs and fired at the vehicle of Rashtriya Krantikari Dal candidate Hari Shankar Singh alias Jinkho Singh.
Senior Superintendent of Police (Azamgarh) S N Rai told rediff.com, "One person died in the attack and three others, including Jinkho Singh, sustained injuries. One of the injured is said to be serious and has been admitted to the Benaras Hindu University hospital."
The emergency medical officer at the Sadar Hospital in Azamgarh, Dr D N Chaubey, identified the dead man as Rajesh Singh, 45. He said Rajesh Singh died owing to loss of blood as a result of three gunshot wounds received in his back.
"Shivjit Singh, 25, received two bullet wounds in his back and was declared critical by doctors who referred him to the intensive care unit of the BHU Hospital," he added.
SSP Rai said the attack took place at around 1600 IST at Kudai Dala village in the Gopalpur constituency, which falls within the Maharajganj village police station. Jinkho Singh had just finished a meeting and was leaving for another when the attack took place.
"Preliminary investigations have revealed that one Babloo, a resident of Gorakhpur, was involved in the attack," the police chief said. "It seems he has a long-running feud with Jinkho Singh."
He ruled out any political motive for the attack.
Jinkho Singh, however, countered Rai's statement and blamed local Samajwadi Party leader Shivraj Yadav for the attack, accusing him of being a 'hardened criminal'.
He also alleged that the police were hand-in-glove with Yadav. He said the police had refused to provide him a security cover despite written requests to the Azamgarh police commissioner, collector and senior superintendent of police.
He also alleged that the police did not reach the attack spot immediately. He said it was a conspiracy by Yadav with the active connivance of the police to eliminate him.
SSP Rai, however, said the police had given one Home Guardsman and one constable to Jinkho Singh.
EARLIER REPORT: Miscreants fire at RKD candidate in Gopalpur
