BJP leader and former head of Asanwar village was shot dead on Thursday night by two bike-borne men in Uttar Pradesh's Ballia district when he was on his way back home after securing bail for one of his close associates, the police have said. Verma was riding a pillion with his aide Dev Kumar who was riding the bike when the incident took place.


Dev said both of them were returning home after getting bail for one of their close friends from the village, reported ANI. Kumar added that two men approached them from behind on a bike and suddenly started firing at them.


A police case has been registered against the three accused in the matter, said Ballia Superintendent of Police (SP) Rajakaran Nayyar. As cited by ANI, Nayyar, said, "A case has been registered against three people and two people have been taken into custody and are being interrogated."


ALSO READ: Two Missing Rajasthan Youths 'Burnt' In Haryana. CM Gehlot Says 1 Accused Nabbed, Police Probe On


He also added that adequate teams have been formed and officials have been instructed to search for the attackers.


In a separate incident, a local BJP leader was shot dead in Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur earlier this week on February 11. Vice president of the Narayanput district unit of the BJP Sagar Sahu was attacked by two unidentified assailants in his native village Chhotedonagar, reported ANI.


Investigations are currently underway to find out whether the incident was carried out by Naxalaites or any other anti-social elements in the area.


ALSO READ: Designated Economic War Criminal': Smriti Irani Hits Back At Billionaire George Soros For Remark On PM Modi


According to the preliminary investigations, two unidentified men reached Sahu's home on a bike at around 8 PM and started and subsequently shot him dead on the spot with AK47.


He was taken to the district hospital where Sahu succumbed to his injuries.


Narayanpur Superintendent of Police Pushkar Sharma said, "Around 8:00 PM, two people came in a bike, entered Sagar Sahu's residence and opened fire on him."


Sharma added that two rounds of empty casings were recovered from the crime scene. The SP also said, "No such information about the victim being threatened by Naxalaites was received recently."