Samajwadi Party MLA booked for attempt to murder

A Samajwadi Party Member of Legislative Assembly was booked on Monday for attempt to murder in Mahrajganj after a woman, whom he had allegedly set ablaze last week, died at a hospital.

The FIR lodged against MLA Sripat Azad in this connection has been converted into a case of attempt to murder after the death of the woman at a hospital in Gorakhpur, Superintendent of Police Ram Swarup said.

Raids are being conducted at Gorakhpur, Lucknow, across the Nepal border and Bihar to arrest Azad, who represents the Sadar constituency in the state assembly, he said. Meanwhile, six relatives of the MLA have been detained for questioning to ascertain his whereabouts, the SP said.

Azad allegedly had illicit relations with the woman. In the FIR lodged by the son of the deceased at the Kotwali police station, it was alleged that the legislator threw some inflammable substance at the victim and set her on fire, resulting in serious injuries to her.

The woman was rushed to the Gorakhpur Medical College Hospital where she later died, the SP said.