Unidentified assailants opened fire and hurled a grenade at Bharatiya Janata Party legislator Sangeet Som’s house in Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut early on Thursday, ANI reported. No one was injured in the incident.
“We have found empty bullet shells from the spot [and the] forensic team is inspecting them, we also found a hand grenade,” said Senior Superintendent of Police (Meerut) Akhilesh Kumar, adding that shots were fired at the security guard’s cabin and gate. Kumar said police are verifying footage from CCTVs installed on the premises, according to ANI.
“I have not received any threats,” ANI quoted Som as saying. “But yes, I had received a call two years ago that I will be killed with a grenade.” Som is an MLA from Sardhana and has Z category security.
According to police, Som had returned to his residence around 1 am on Thursday. The assailants, who had allegedly followed Som in a car, opened fire a few minutes after Som entered his house. One of the assailants in the car allegedly tried to enter the house, but a security guard stopped him. Meanwhile, another assailant hurled a grenade at the house. The grenade did not explode, police said.
Kumar said a bomb squad was called to the spot to examine the grenade. “Investigation is being carried out from all possible angles to identify and arrest the assailants,” Hindustan Times quoted Kumar as saying.
Som, who is an accused in the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots, was previously attacked at his house in Sardhana a few years ago.
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