Yesterday, unknown assailants shot dead the Uttar Pradesh Vishwa Hindu Mahasabha chief Ranjeet Bachchan in Lucknow. Bachchan had gone for a morning walk when the assailants, riding on a bike, shot him on his head. He was rushed to a nearby hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. A day after his gruesome assassination, Ranjeet’s wife has come forth stating that her husband was going to make a big announcement on CAA, which has possibly caused his murder.
Even as eight teams of Uttar Pradesh Police and Crime Branch have initiated the investigation into Bachchan’s murder, his wife Kalindi Bachchan has revealed that her husband was killed because he had extended his support to the newly legislated Citizenship Amendment Act that intends to grant citizenship to persecuted minorities of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.
While speaking to Navbharat Times, Ranjeet’s wife claimed that her husband was soon going to organise a grand event regarding the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). “Ranjeet was planning to organise a big event regarding CAA, to create awareness among people about the citizenship law through a cycle trip across Uttar Pradesh. He solicited support through social media. I suspect he was murdered for supporting the CAA,” Kalindi said.
Kalindi also talked about the controversy surrounding Rajneet’s multiple marriages. Denying that Ranjeet had three wives, Kalindi said that Rajneet had a second wife, named Smriti Verma, who lived in Vikasnagar area of Lucknow. “My husband used to live with me. Yes, sometimes he used to visit Smriti. But it was all consensual. Yes, initially I opposed these things, which is natural. However, I had accepted their relationship later. I was married on 30 March 2014. He was married to Smriti on 18 January 2015,” Kalindi said.
UP Police have released CCTV footage of two suspected assailants in connection with Ranjeet’s murder. The police have announced a reward of Rs 50 thousand to anyone who provides them with additional information about the assaulters. The police have currently deployed 8 teams to probe the murder case. On the other hand, four policemen including Outpost Incharge have been suspended on charges of negligence in the case.