RSS functionary shot at, 4 arrested

PRAYAGRAJ, January 22 (HS): “The fundraising drive for the Ram Temple at Ayodhya has emerged as a new trigger for communal tensions,” hinted a senior policemen after a 35-year-old Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) office bearer and roadways conductor was shot by two unidentified bike-borne assailants in Mauaima area under Soraon police station on Friday. He was on his way back home after completing night shift duty at Civil Lines bus depot. Dinesh Maurya (35) son of late Ram Sumer Maurya was shot at by bike borne assailants, police said, adding that panic gripped after the incident with commuters running for security cover, they said.  The assailants managed to flee from the spot after the incident.  He was rushed to a hospital in a serious condition, where doctors declared him critical; police officials said adding four suspects have been detained for interrogation and Maurya has received bullet injuries on the head.

Local residents went on rampage in protest against the killing. Police force has been deployed in the area to maintain law and order. They also tried to close the market. The situation was brought under control after police intervention. “So far, we have not got any inputs about any dispute at work that could have led to this shooting. He was supervising fundraising drive for the Ram Temple and had a dispute with other locals over opening of office and management of a temple in the area. We are talking to his family to probe details,” Soraon police said. Some sections of social media had indicated that the murder of the RSS man had a communal angle to it as Mauaima area has seen many such cases in the past, but no such angle has been reported in the case yet. The Prayagraj SSP told HS over phone that reason behind the killing was not known. The police were talking to the family members and other to get some lead. The ADG Prayagraj zone, Prem Prakash also took stock of the situation and directed the police for early work out of the case. According to ADG, investigation is on keeping personal enmity and other angles in mind. The police got vital information regarding the killing, and are very close to work out the case. Several teams of police have been constituted to nab the criminals at the earliest. He claimed that the law and order in the area is normal.