Five licenced weapons used in Sonebhadra killings

Five weapons -- one single-barreled gun, three double-barreled guns and a rifle -- were used in Wednesday's carnage in Uttar Pradesh's Sonebhadra in which at least 10 Gond tribals were killed.

Sources in UP police told IANS on Friday that all the guns used by the attackers in were licensed weapons. However, there was no immediate clarity on the number of rounds fired by them.

"The weapons were licenced in the names of different persons from amongst the attackers. They must have fired anywhere between 12 and 15 rounds that resulted in 10 casualties," said a top police official.

According to police, so far 29 attackers, including the main accused Yagya Dutt, have been arrested.

"More men, who are unidentified at present, were involved in the attack. We are trying to identify these attackers with help from eyewitnesses in the incident. Raids are being conducted to arrest these men," said the official.

The Sonebhadra incident took a political turn on Friday with senior Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi arriving in Varanasi and meeting those injured in the carnage admitted at the Banaras Hindu University Trauma Centre. She was detained and while trying to proceed towards Sonebhadra.

The Congress slammed Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath accusing him of failing to control law and order in the state. The Congress is also likely to undertake a nationwide protest against the killings soon.IANS