Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh:
Controversial Uttar Pradesh Minister Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiya was today booked and two of his alleged aides were arrested for an alleged conspiracy to kill Deputy Superintendent of Police Zia-ul-Haque in the state's Pratapgarh district.
Zia-ul-Haque's wife, Parveen, had filed a police complaint, accusing Raja Bhaiya and his men of killing her husband. She alleged the minister was harassing the police officer as he was investigating a recent communal clash in Pratapgarh.
"I want justice. My husband was dragged around and first shot in the leg. His clothes were soiled. There were injuries on his head and face," Parveen said.
Raja Bhaiya is a Cabinet Minister in the Akhilesh Yadav government and holds the Food and Civil Supplies portfolio. He has criminal cases against him.
The minister today condemned Zia-ul-Haque's killing but denied any law and order problem in the state. "It's a serious and sad incident. The facts will be known after the police investigation," Raja Bhaiya said.
Zia-ul-Haque was among the two persons killed in Ballipur village of Pratapgarh district on Saturday during clashes that followed the murder of a village head.
The village head, Nanhe Yadav, was allegedly gunned down over a property dispute. Policemen who arrived at the village to investigate were beaten up and chased away by the villagers.
The police retaliated, resulting in a gunbattle. Zia-ul-Haque was killed in the crossfire between the police and villagers. He was shot in the chest and head. The brother of the village pradhan, Suresh Yadav, also died in the firing.