BJP ex-MLA’s son killed near UP Assembly

Lucknow: The son of a former BJP MLA was shot dead late on Saturday night in the highly secured Hazratganj area of the state capital.

The incident took place less than one kilometre from the chief minister’s residence and about 600 metres from the Vidhan Sabha, which is currently in session. The main accused, Suraj Singh, was arrested on Sunday evening by the special task force from Hapur.

According to police reports, the victim, Vaibhav Tiwari (28), lived in a flat number 322 of Kasmanda Apartments with his wife, three-year-old daughter and father Prem Prakash alias Jippy Tiwari, who is a former BJP MLA from Dumariyaganj in Siddharthanagar.

Vaibhav was the village head from Damwapur Jagatpurwa village in Dumariyaganj. Earlier, he had been in real estate business, said the police.

SSP Deepak Kumar told reporters on Sunday that around 10 pm Vaibhav received a call from his former business partner Suraj Shukla who asked him to come down from his flat to discuss some matter.

Suraj was accompanied by one Vikram Singh. Aditya Singh, an eyewitness who lives in the same building, said that Vaibhav had a heated exchange of words with the duo and one of them shot him. The accused fled in their SUV and Aditya Singh informed police about the incident.

The Parks Road police outpost is located barely 50 metres from the scene of the incident. Vaibhav was rushed to the Ram Manohar Lohia hospital where the doctors announced him brought dead.

The post-mortem was conducted later in the night and the body was taken to Ayodhya on Sunday for the last rites.