LUCKNOW: Another life was lost over a land dispute in Uttar Pradesh and this time the victim was a three-time former MLA. Nirvendra Kumar Mishra alias Munna Mishra, 75, was allegedly killed during a brawl with his rival group over a piece of land in Trikaulia Padhua locality under Sampurnanagar police station area of Lakhimpur Kheri district on Sunday. The local sources claimed that the former MLA’s son Sanjeev Mishra was also attacked by the adversaries and he was admitted to the hospital in a critical condition.
The 75-year-old victim was a three-time MLA from Nighasan Assembly seat of Lakhimpur Kheri. He had won twice as an independent candidate and once on Samajwadi Party ticket. As per the family sources of the victim, the rivals from Palia had come prepared with weapons to allegedly take possession of the land which was earlier belonged to Mishra in Trikaulia Padhua. As the former MLA accompanied by his son Sanjeev resisted the move, the opposite party attacked them. In the melee, the MLA was pushed by the rivals and he fell to the ground sustaining injury on his head. His son also sustained injuries.
On getting the information, the police reached the spot and rushed the duo to hospital, but Mishra succumbed to injuries on the way.
Soon after Mishra's death, his supporters gathered in huge numbers and started a protest by keeping his dead body on the road near Trikaulia bus station. However, the family of the deceased claimed that he was beaten to death by the rival party and accused the cops of being in cahoots with the assailants. On the contrary, Lakhimpur Kheri SP Satyendra Kumar said that the former MLA died due to the injury he had sustained when he was pushed to the ground during the brawl.
"He was rushed to a Community Health Centre in Palia, and was later taken to another hospital where he was pronounced dead," said the police official. He added that there were no injury marks to be found on his body.
The district police chief claimed that the dispute was related to the land which Nirvendra Kumar Mishra had sold to Sameer Gupta and Radheshyam Gupta of Palia. The land was registered in the name of Sameer Gupta who had come to take its possession but was resisted by Mishra and his son. The local sources claimed that the former MLA had sold his three and half-acre of land to Guptas of Palia. When Gupta got it measured, it turned out to be four and a half-acre. As a result, Mishra asked Gupta to take possession of only 3.5 acres, leaving the rest. But the Guptas were adamant at taking over the entire land. This led to the dispute which is pending in district civil court.
The police sources also claimed that the former MLA and his son had faced action for breach of peace. The incident has put the spotlight back at Yogi government yet again with belligerent opposition launching a scathing attack over the deteriorating law and order situation in the state.
While UP Congress said that “Jungle Raj’ of Uttar Pradesh was getting scarier and that Yogi government was sleeping, BSP chief Mayawati also condemned the incident by that the incidents of crime were extremely sad and worrying. SP leader Akhilesh Yadav said the state was "shaken up" by the brutal killing of the former MLA.