Police arrest 3, use tear gas to disperse crowd after Bajrang Dal worker shot dead in Noida

NOIDA: Police on Saturday used tear gas on protesters who created ruckus after a Bajrang Dal worker was killed in Noida's Sector-8 on October 4.

Speaking about the incident, Superintendent of Police (SP) Noida said that people created ruckus after a Bajrang Dal worker was killed and minimal force was used to disperse the crowd.

The situation is now under control now, he confirmed. 

A 24-year-old Bajrang Dal worker was shot dead in Noida on Thursday.

The worker was allegedly killed because he had complained about the gambling and illegal liquor trade.

People had gathered to protest about police inaction on the situation. 

The deceased has been identified as Ajay Chaudhary, a resident of J J Colony in Sector 8. Chaudhary was called out his house at 9.30 pm on Thursday by Sarfaraz who took him outside to the other accused.

"There they caught hold of him and Jeetu shot him in the chest while four more rounds were fired on him by others before they fled the spot brandishing the firearms," the police said.

One of the neighbours who saw the incident rushed to help and alerted others. Soon Ajay was taken to hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival, the police said, citing the complaint.

Those accused have been identified as Shehzaad, Ashraf, Zafar, Sartaj, Rafeeq, Jeetu Yadav, Sitabu while two others remained unidentified, the police said.

"Three of them -- Zafar Ali, Sitabuddin Ansari and Sartaj Khan -- have been arrested," the police said.

According to Vijay Chaudhary, his brother Ajay had made several complaints with the police as well as local authorities about the accused persons running betting racket, illicit liquor trade, drug trafficking and other illegal businesses.

A case was registered at the Sector 20 police station which has lodged an FIR for murder and related offences.

Scores of protesters reached the Noida Sector 20 police station and demanded strict action against the culprits and sought compensation for the family of the victim.

"We have demanded Rs 1 crore in compensation to the family of the deceased along with a house. Ajay was staying with his old parents in a J J Colony and was the sole support for them as his elder brother lives in some other city," Umanand Kaushik, in-charge of Gautam Buddh Nagar unit of the Visva Hindu Parishad (VHP), said.

"We have also demanded strict action against the errant police officials because Ajay had already made complaints to them. Had they taken some action, a precious life would not have been lost," Kaushik said.

The protestors have submitted a letter of their demands, addressed to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, to the Noida City Magistrate.

Taking note of the concerns raised by the protesters, the police have initiated an inquiry against the policemen concerned in the case.

"The in-charge of police post Jhundpura in Sector 8 has been suspended while orders given for a departmental inquiry in the matter over the complaints of negligence by local police," a police spokesperson said. 

(With Agency Inputs)