UP: Armed assailants shoot at govt officials

Gonda, May 14: Armed miscreants grievously wounded three people, including district panchayat officer, following a dispute that snowballed while overtaking a vehicle in Karnalganj Kotwali area here late last night, police said today.

The incident took place when city magistrate S P Anand and district panchayat officer Humam Khan were heading towards Lucknow in ADM Sukhlal Bharti's government vehicle.

On the way, five people aboard a car had an heated exchange of words with the officers, while overtaking the vehicle.

The issue further soared and the quintet indiscriminately fired upon the officers. However, the officers' gunner Satyanarayan Chaube made retaliatory firing, but the criminals fled the scene.

Profusely bleeding trio were admitted to hospital in critical condition.

A case had been registered and search was on to nab the absconders.

UNI