A panchayat member today went missing after he jumped into Gomti river while being chased by a group of people who were allegedly digging sand from his land in the Loni Katra area of Barabanki district.
Ram Manorath (45) was chased by Gomti Yadav and his aides when he opposed their bid to dig sand from his field, circle officer (city) Vishal Vikram Singh said, adding police along with divers were trying to trace his whereabouts.
Eyewitnesses, however, said Yadav and his associates beat up Manorath and shot him dead before throwing his body in the river.
Apparently angry with this, Manorath's supporters set a liquor shop owned by Yadav on fire and blocked the Lucknow-Sultanpur road, demanding immediate arrest of culprits.
