Pro-Hindu leader shot dead in Lucknow, body dumped in canal; driver detained

Hindu right-wing leader Dhirendra Pratap Singh was shot dead in Lucknow, with police saying he was shot twice before his body was dumped in a canal. One bullet hit his head, and another struck his abdomen, according to the latest details emerging in the investigation.

Police suspect Singh was killed inside his Fortuner by his driver Ravi and two of his associates, after which they dumped his body in a canal. Singh’s vehicle was also recovered.

According to senior police officer Mohammad Mushtaq, Singh’s wife, Mamta Singh, had approached the police and filed a complaint saying that her husband had been abducted by his driver after Singh went missing. Police registered a case and began investigating the circumstances surrounding his disappearance.

The investigation soon raised suspicion over the driver’s account. Ravi spent the day misleading Singh’s family and police, claiming that Singh had gone to Plassio Mall with his friends. He told the family that Singh had said he would take some time to return and asked them not to inform anyone.

Ravi repeated the same account to the police, saying Singh had left Plassio Mall with his friends and had not returned since. However, when police checked CCTV footage from the mall at the time mentioned by Ravi, they found neither Singh nor his Fortuner at the location.

Police also found that Singh’s mobile phone had been placed on a train by Ravi, allegedly to mislead investigators. The movement of the phone consequently showed changing locations, creating a false trail and making it difficult for police to establish Singh’s actual whereabouts.

The inconsistencies in Ravi’s version prompted police to question him more closely. During sustained questioning, he allegedly confessed to the murder and told police that he had called two of his friends, who then joined him in killing Singh.

Police suspect that the murder may have been linked to a land dispute in Unnao. Singh was originally from Unnao and lived in Lucknow’s PGI area.

Singh was associated with the Hindu Yuva Vahini, a pro-Hindu youth organisation founded by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Two people, including Singh’s driver, have been detained and are being questioned. Police said efforts are underway to identify and arrest all those involved in the murder.

Six teams have been formed to investigate the case and trace the remaining suspects. Police teams are conducting raids at multiple locations as the probe continues.