8-year-old killed in celebratory firing by SP workers

Muzaffarnagar: An eight-year-old boy was killed in a celebratory firing by Samajwadi Party (SP) workers at Kairana town in Shamli district on Sunday, triggering protests by the residents. Irate locals blocked the Khatima-Panipat Highway to protest the death of the boy.

The victim, Sami, was passing by Kairana area in a rickshaw when he was hit during the firing by SP workers on Sunday, Superintendent of Police Anil Kumar Jha said.

The workers were celebrating the victory of party candidate Nafisa in the local body polls from the town, he said, adding the boy later succumbed to his injuries.

A case has been registered against five persons, including the husband of the victorious candidate under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, police said, adding that efforts are being made to arrest the absconding accused.

BJP slams SP
The Bharatiya Janata Party yesterday lashed out at the Samajawadi Party (SP)-led Government in Uttar Pradesh over the death of the eight-year-old, saying that such things were bound to happen when a ‘party of goons' is in power in the state.

"SP is a party of goons. When you appoint goons, then it results in jungle raj. When they win they fire gunshots, and unfortunately a child is killed. So, when the party full of goons are there, innocent will be killed," said BJP leader Siddharth Nath Singh.