SP worker beats auto driver to death in Kanpur

A day after gunfire by a Samajwadi Party (SP) activist killed a young man, a scuffle involving another SP worker left an autorickshaw driver dead in Kanpur, police said.

The incident took place on Monday at Panki when a SP worker allegedly beat a tempo driver to death as the latter refused to pay Rs300.

The deceased has been identified as Ankit Yadav and the assailant has been identified as Prashant Tiwari.

Superintendent of Police (Crime) Ashfaq Ahmad told IANS that both parties were from Uttar Pradesh's ruling party and that the murder was an outcome of a heated argument over extortion.

Local SP leaders, however, said that Tiwari, who runs a hotel in the area, beat the tempo driver to death in a fit of anger after he refused to cough up parking fee".

The victim was attacked with sticks and iron rods after which he collapsed and died on way to a hospital.

While local party leaders refused to comment on the incident, party spokesperson Rajendra Chowdhary gave a muted response and said he would find out what the incident actually was.