LUCKNOW: A man was found shot dead at the residence of Union MoS for Housing and Urban Affairs Kaushal Kishore in the old Lucknow area early Friday morning. The police identified the victim as Vinay Srivastava, 30, a BJP worker. He was also a close aide of the minister’s son Vikas Kishore.
The weapon was a licensed .32 calibre pistol belonging to the minister’s son, the police said, adding that it was recovered from the spot.
Three suspects, Ankit Verma, Ajay Rawat, and Shamir alias Baba, have been arrested following an FIR lodged against them on the basis of a complaint by the victim’s family.
Kaushal Kishore is a BJP MP from Mohanlalganj constituency located on the city’s outskirts. He claimed that his son had gone to Delhi an evening before the incident, which the police said took place between 2-2:50 AM on Friday. The minister said the pistol was licensed for only Lucknow.
Lucknow DCP Rahul Raj said a preliminary inquiry revealed that six people had come to the house on Thursday night and had dinner. They also had liquor and played cards.
The police statement said a scuffle ensued between Vinay (the victim) and Ankit to whom Vinay had lost Rs 12,000 in gambling. Ankit, Ajay and Shamir then reportedly stopped the game and another accused went away with the amount. This infuriated Vinay resulting in a fight.
“Ankit took out Vikas’s pistol from under the pillow kept on the bed and shot Vinay in the head leaving him dead,” the police said.