Gorakhpur: Hundreds of villagers, mostly supporters of Samajwadi party (SP) went on the rampage on April 22 torching nine government buses and blocking traffic demanding arrest of the killers of a party leader-cum-businessman who was shot on April 21.

Police fired in the air and lathi-charged stone-pelting demonstrators who halted movement of traffic on national highway for two hours. Some passengers of the buses sustained injuries during stone pelting by the mob. Two persons were arrested on the charge of rioting and indulging in arson.

The police said that trouble started when Yogendra Nath Yadav was shot dead following business rivalry.

Even though one of the suspected killer was arrested soon after the murder, hundreds of residents and adjoining yadav-dominated villages came out and blocked the Gorakhpur-Basti national highway on April 22 demanding arrest of the killers and compensation for the bereaved family.

The road blockade has since been cleared and posse of police and provincial armed constabulary personnel has been deployed in the area.

PTI