The spouse of a village leader was fatally shot, reportedly due to a conflict stemming from panchayat elections in the Katra region of Mirzapur district on Saturday, according to law enforcement officials.

Authorities have identified one of the two shooters through CCTV evidence and have initiated a search to apprehend the suspects.

The deceased, Rajeev Kumar Singh, also known as Rinku Singh, aged 40, was the husband of Pratima Singh, the pradhan of Devari village. He was attacked while taking a morning stroll, police reported.

Footage from security cameras in the vicinity captured the assailants waiting on a motorcycle. One of them approached Singh, who was alone at the time, and shot him at close range before attempting to escape, according to police statements.

The video, which has been widely shared on social media, shows the gunman struggling to start the motorcycle while his accomplice brandished a firearm to intimidate bystanders, police noted.

Aparna Rajat Kaushik, the Superintendent of Police in Mirzapur, stated, “We have gathered reliable information regarding this case and are exploring all possible leads.”

Early on Saturday, reports were received about a shooting incident in the Katra area. Emergency responders arrived promptly and transported Singh, who had sustained a chest wound, to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Authorities later identified one shooter as Hari Rajan Sonkar, a resident of Devari village, and are actively working to identify the second suspect.

Investigators revealed that Sonkar and Singh had a history of conflict related to the panchayat pradhan elections, which is believed to have motivated the attack. Initial inquiries indicate that the assailants may have been planning the shooting for a considerable period and were familiar with Singh’s routine morning walks.