Lucknow: A 55-year-old farmer, Vijay Pratap Singh, was shot dead by an unidentified assailant while he was sleeping in the verandah of his house in Belgara village under Jaisinghpur area of Sultanpur district in the wee hours of Sunday.Police have registered a case against unknown persons.According to reports, the victim, who was suffering from paralysis for the past three years, went to sleep in the verandah after dinner as per his routine. Around 2 am, a masked assailant reportedly entered the premises and fired a shot at point-blank range, placing the gun against his temple.Family members rushed to the spot after hearing the gunshot, but the attacker managed to flee. The victim’s wife, Tara Devi, who was sleeping nearby, said she woke up to the sound and saw a masked man running away from the scene. The victim was immediately taken to a medical college, where doctors declared him dead.Additional superintendent of police Akhand Pratap Singh said a suspect has been detained based on inputs from family members, and questioning is underway.The deceased’s elder son, Ankur Singh, is posted as a sub-inspector in Kanpur Nagar. The incident has left the family devastated, especially as preparations were underway for the wedding of the victim’s daughter, Sonam, scheduled for April 21.Family members stated that Vijay Pratap Singh had no known enmity with anyone, and the motive behind the murder remains unclear.
