Allahabad: Violence breaks out during block prez polls; 1 dead

At least one person was killed when supporters of rival factions of Uttar Pradesh's ruling Samajwadi Party clashed and exchanged fire today in a remote area of the district, leading to the death of one person.
After the clash, nearly a score vehicles were torched and vandalised, traffic on the highway blocked and a police contingent was pelted with stones.
The incident took place in Sarai Inayat Police station area of the district, around 40 kms from the city. It was a skirmish between two groups, comprising members of the same political party but which supported different candidates in the ongoing block president elections, Senior Superintendent of Police, Allahabad, K S Immanuel said.

"The situation worsened when people from both sides started shooting in the air to scare away the other side. One of the gunshots killed Bablu who is said to be the son of the Pradhan of a village falling in the Bahadurpur block.
It took the police nearly an hour to bring the situation under control though by then several vehicles were vandalized and some others, including a fire brigade, set on fire, the SSP said.
"We have arrested five persons from the spot. It is yet to be ascertained as to who pulled the trigger resulting in the death of a person. SP MLA from Handia Prashant Singh was caught in the melee. However, our personnel managed to ensure that he remained unhurt," the SSP claimed.

Sources in the district unit of Samajwadi Party said, "The party had fielded Raj Kumar, a relative of Prashant Singh as its official nominee for the post of the block president. This had irked Munindra Yadav, an SP member and a history- sheeter who jumped into the fray as a rebel candidate".
"After the results, Raj Kumar was declared elected and Prashant Singh went to the booth to congratulate him. This infuriated the rival group which attacked Raj Kumar's victory procession in which the MLA (Prashant Singh) was also present," sources added.