Bahujan Samaj Party leader Mohammad Shami was shot dead close to his residence in Allahabad district on Sunday night, hours after Hindutva hardliner Yogi Adityanath took his oath as chief minister of Uttar Pradesh. Shami was set upon by bike-borne assailants in the town of Mau Aima, Patrika reported, and died on the spot. The police arrived soon after and said five bullets had been fired at Shami.
Shami’s supporters staged a protest on the Allahabad-Pratapgarh highway demanding an immediate arrest of the accused. The protesters also asked for adequate security to Shami’s family. Shami’s supporters have been dispersed from the highway and police personnel have been deployed in the area, Superintendent of Police Shalabh Mathur told PTI.
Shami, 60, had moved from the Samajwadi Party to the BSP right before this year’s Assembly elections. He was not on good terms with a few local Bharatiya Janata Party and Vishwa Hindu Parishad leaders, PTI reported quoting sources.
The Bharatiya Janata Party had won the Uttar Pradesh elections by a huge mandate, while the once powerful BSP won fewer than 20 seats.
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