BJP leader shot dead in UP

Lucknow: Following a series of similar attacks, yet another BJP leader was shot dead in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday, this time in Basti district, the police said.

This comes a day after a BJP leader was shot dead in Saharanpur district on Tuesday. Chaudhary Yashpal Singh , was shot dead on Tuesday by bike-borne unidentified assailants in Talhedi Khurd near his Miragpur village in Deoband in Saharanpur district.

According to reports, BJP leader Kabir Tiwari, a former student leader, was shot dead on Malviya road in Basti on Wednesday.

Eyewitnesses said that Tiwari was talking to some persons in Agarwal Bhawan when two men arrived on a motorcycle and sprayed him with bullets.

He was taken to the district hospital and referred for treatment to Lucknow in a critical condition, but died on the way to the state capital.

According to the police, two persons have been arrested in connection with the murder and they have recovered the weapon used in the crime.

A huge crowd collected at the spot and staged protests, denouncing the violent incidents. Additional police forces have been deployed in the area to maintain peace.