Party worker hired killers: BJP MLA cites Trump shooting

Claiming that he faces a security threat from another party worker, Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Fateh Bahadur Singh has cited the recent assassination attempt on former US president Donald Trump.

Singh has sought the intervention of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in separate letters that BJP worker Rajiv Ranjan Chaudhary has hired men to kill him.

Addressing reporters on Thursday, he said while the chief minister has ensured security protection for him in the last seven to eight years, prominent figures are still attacked and cited the recent attack on former US president Trump.

Singh, a seven-time MLA from Campierganj, currently has Y+ category security with 11 personnel, and his security arrangements are periodically reviewed.

Singh claimed that Chaudhary has offered a contract of Rs 5 crore to have him killed.

Chaudhary, however, has denied the allegations and insisted that instead his life was in danger. "It's not me who wants to kill the MLA, but the MLA wants to have me killed," he said late on Thursday.

Chaudhary, is the son of Saroj Devi, a BJP district panchayat member.

The police initiated an investigation after a complaint by Singh.

The MLA, who is the son of former Chief Minister Veer Bahadur Singh accused police of inaction during a press briefing on Thursday. He claimed that eleven days ago while he was touring his constituency, he was informed of a plan to assassinate him.

Though he initially dismissed the threat, the next day, one of the hired assassins approached him and revealed that a contract of Rs 5 crore was on his life, the Campierganj MLA said.

Singh claimed that he reported the matter to the SSP, explaining the entire case at his residence and has informed the chief minister. Despite this, no action has been taken in the last eleven days, he said.

On Thursday evening, Gorakhpur DM Krishna Karunesh and SSP Gaurav Grover issued a joint statement on the matter.

DM Karunesh assured that investigation was underway after police received Singh's complaint. Several people have already been questioned and all information is being thoroughly checked, he said.

SSP Grover added that the investigation has been assigned to SP North and involves different police teams, including the Special Task Force(STF).