RAIPUR: A former Congress person in Bilaspur was shot dead while he was driving a car in Bilaspur town of Chhattisgarh in broad daylight on Thursday. His body was riddled with five bullets by two unidentified persons from either side of the road.
Though, the deceased car has a name plate stating, “General Secretary, District Congress Committee” and his Facebook profiles narrate his association with Congress, both the police and Congress spokespersons have denied he was presently linked with the party.
Bilaspur police said that around 4.15 pm in Sakri region of Bilaspur town, the 38-year-old man identified as Sanju Tripathi was shot dead when he was driving his car near Turkadih bypass.
A statement issued by police said that as soon as the cops were informed, the teams reached the spot and investigations began.
“However, Sanju Tripathi had no association with any political party,” police said. The Congress spokespersons clarified that Tripathi was once associated with Youth Congress but presently held no post in the party while his father was also a former municipal corporator from BJP.
Minutes later, a 40-page long file was issued that comprised of over two dozen crimes registered against Tripathi in several police stations of Bilaspur including attempt to murder on his younger brother over land dispute.
Elaborating the crime scene, the eye-witnesses told police that there were two cars parked on either side of the road, right at the speed breaker, as if the accused inside the car were waiting for Tripathi’s vehicle to slow down there and they could attack.
As soon as Tripathi drove close and slowed down as expected near the speed breaker, the shooters fired at him and breaking the window shields, five bullets riddled his head and back. Before people could rush towards them, the accused fled the spot in opposite directions.
SSP Parul Mathur and other senior cops reached the crime scene and evidences were collected.
Police haven’t revealed much detail about the causes of incident stating that the matter was being investigated, however, sources said that as Tripathi was involved in crimes and land deals, he had many rivals who could have conspired to murder him.
An FIR was lodged on charges of murder and investigations were initiated. Tripathi is survived by his wife and two kids.
