Hindu Mahasabha president Ranjit Bachchan murder: Four UP cops suspended

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New Delhi: The state president of Akhil Bhartiya Hindu Mahasabha was shot dead by unknown bike-borne assailants near the Chhattar Manzil in Lucknow's Hazratganj area on Sunday (February 1) morning. Ranjit Bachchan, a resident of OCR building in Hazratganj area, was fired upon while he was out on a morning walk at the Global Park along with his brother. 

Ranjit was fired upon from a close range and received multiple bullet injuries in the head. He was immediately rushed to Lucknow Trauma Centre where he succumbed to his injuries. Ranjit's brother, who was with him at the time of the incident, also received bullet injuries and is currently being treated. 

Following the incident, the Uttar Pradesh administration suspended four police officials, including two PRV police personnel, a constable and an outpost in-charge. According to the police, Ranjit had been receiving death threats for sometime.

A police official told PTI that the killing prima facie appears to be a fallout of some family dispute, but the police are investigating all possible angles. Sources told the news agency that Ranjit was earlier associated with the Samajwadi Party. He lived in the OCR building and belonged to Gorakhpur.

This is the second murder of a Hindu leader in the state capital in the past four months.

Kamlesh Tiwari, president of the Hindu Samaj Party, was shot dead in his office on October 18 by two assailants who had befriended him by creating a fake Facebook ID. This led to multiple arrests from various states including Gujarat and Maharashtra.

Meanwhile, the police said that all exit and entry points in the state capital have been sealed and teams have been set up to identify and arrest the accused. CCTV footage in the area is also being scanned. This is the first major crime in the state capital after the police commissioner system was implemented in Lucknow on January 14.