Lucknow- Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Wednesday lashed out at the Uttar Pradesh government, accusing it of failing to maintain law and order in the state, in the wake of a triple murder in Fatehpur district. In a post on X, the former UP Chief Minister said, “In Uttar Pradesh, incidents of exploitation and oppression over petty issues have become routine. Recently, in Fatehpur district, three members of a Kshatriya/Thakur farmer family and a Dalit individual were brutally murdered. This has triggered widespread panic and fear among local residents.” In a follow-up post, Mayawati demanded swift and stringent action from the UP administration.

“The UP government must take strict legal action against the culprits to ensure timely justice for the victim’s family. It must also focus on improving the overall law and order situation in the state,” she said. The killings took place on Tuesday morning in Akhri village, under the Hathgam police station limits, and are believed to be the result of longstanding political rivalry within the village. According to police, a group of assailants -- allegedly led by former village head Suresh Singh alias Munnu Singh -- opened fire on Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) district vice-president Vinod Singh alias Pappu Singh, his brother Anoop Singh alias Pinku Singh, and Vinod’s son Abhay Pratap Singh, killing all three on the spot.

Police have so far arrested two of the accused in an encounter in which both suspects sustained bullet injuries to their legs. They are currently undergoing treatment at a local hospital. According to police, a dispute started after former village head Suresh Kumar requested Pappu Singh to remove his tractor parked on the road to allow his motorcycle to pass. The situation escalated when Suresh Kumar’s sons started firing indiscriminately, killing three people -- Pappu Singh, Pinku Singh, and Abhay Pratap Singh on the spot.