Man holds actress hostage in UP, opens fire at Sonbhadra SP

An armed man in his late twenties held a Bhojpuri film actress hostage in a hotel room in Robertsganj (Sonbhadra district) on Saturday, tried to coerce her to marry him and opened fire at superintendent of police, Sonbhadra, Salman Taj Patil when the police officer tried to get the actress freed, the police said.

The district police chief had a narrow escape in the incident.

The police later arrested the man, who was identified as Pankaj Yadav, a resident of Jaunpur.

A case has registered against Yadav under sections 307 (attempt to murder), 376 (rape) and section 342 (wrongful confinement) of the Indian Penal Code and also Section 7 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act, the police said.

Superintendent of police Salman Taj Patil said, “A case has been registered against the youth under relevant sections of the IPC following a complaint by the actress. The youth has been arrested. Further investigation is on.”

Patil said a 70-member team had come from Mumbai to Robertsganj for shooting a Bhojpuri film. The cast and crew were staying in different hotels.

Armed with a pistol, Pankaj Yadav, a resident of Jaunpur, barged into the hotel room of the actress and held her at gunpoint, he said.

The police officer said people present in the hotel reached the spot and tried to free the girl, prompting Yadav to open indiscriminate fire in the air.

A 35-year-old man, identified as Ashok Kumar, was injured in the incident.

The firing caused panic in the hotel, Later, Yadav closed the door of the room. Robertsganj police station inspector Naveen Kumar Tiwari along with his team reached the hotel and informed the Superintendent of police .

The Superintendent of police said he reached the spot and asked the man to open the door. After refusing initially, Yadav relented, allowing the SP to enter the room and talk to him.

Patil said Yadav told him (the SP) that he would leave the hotel only after kin of the actress came to the hotel and fixed her marriage with him immediately.

During the conversation, the SP tried to tug the bedsheet on which the pistol was kept but the weapon fell on the ground and Yadav picked it up, opening fire at the district police chief who had a narrow escape.

The SP then disarmed Yadav and the Robertsganj police team arrested him.

First Published:
May 26, 2019 10:00 IST

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