BJP leader's killing: Party workers protest, call for bandh

Defying prohibitory orders, BJP workers today held protests in Noida and Greater Noida demanding arrest of the killers of party leader Vijay Pandit and called for 'Noida bandh' tomorrow. The protests were organised by the Gautam Budh Nagar unit of the party.

In Noida, the workers protested outside the DM camp office. The agitation was led by BJP's Noida Mahanagar president Bijendra Nagar. The workers assembled at 'Sanatan Dharam Mandir' (temple) in Sector 19. From there, they formed a human chain till the DM camp office in Sector 27, Nagar said.

The party has called for a 'Noida Bandh' (shutdown) tomorrow, if the killers are not arrested. "BJP leaders have decided that on Monday they will assemble at the temple in Sector at 10.30 AM and proceed to implement the 'Noida bandh' by closing shops and blocking traffic. It will continue till the arrest of the killers," said spokesperson of the Gautam Buddha Nagar unit of BJP Vinod Sharma.

Gautam Budh Nagar MP Mahesh Sharma has spoken to BJP chief Rajnath Singh and state president Lakshmi Kant Vajpayee and briefed them about the murder and demanded a high-level inquiry in the case by CBI, Sharma said. 

At Greater Noida, BJP workers assembled at the collectorate DM office and staged protest. They also submitted a memorandum, demanding arrest of the killers, he said. Some of the prominent local leaders who participated in the protest were Brij Pal Singh Chauhan, Sanjay Bali, Manoj Gupta, Vinod Sharma and Vimla Batham.

Pandit was shot dead by four assailants last night following which his supporters torched 16 vehicles near Dadri police station and pelted stones at a police team. Police had to resort to firing in the air to control the mob. The clashes between the two sides continued till late last night. Section 144 has been clamped in Gautam Budh Nagar.
Four persons have been detained in connection with the murder.