Fatehpur (UP), Apr 9 (PTI) A Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader, his son and brother, who were shot dead following an altercation over his tractor blocking the road here, were cremated on Wednesday amid tight security, police officials said.

This followed day-long protests by the bereaved kin and their supporters who initially refused to cremate the bodies, demanding the demolition of the accused's properties, adequate financial assistance, and a government job for a family member.

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Inspector General of Police (IG) Prem Kumar Gautam said the funerals took place after the district administration conceded to the key demands of the family.

Earlier in the day, District Magistrate Ravinder Singh and Superintendent of Police Dhawal Jaiswal held discussions with the grieving family, assuring them of comprehensive security, including the deployment of armed guards at their residence and armed gunners for their protection whenever they step out of the home.

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To further persuade the family, the district administration bulldozed illegally constructed structures belonging to the accused on encroached government land.

The bodies of BKU district president Pappu Singh (50), his son Abhay Singh (22), and his younger brother Pinku Singh (45) were handed over to their families on Wednesday morning after a post-mortem that was done by three senior doctors. The entire process was videographed.

Four people have been arrested in connection with the murder that happened in Akhri village on Tuesday.

Within hours of the incident, police arrested Suresh Kumar (55), a former village head, and his son Bhupinder Singh (32). On Wednesday, two more men -- Piyush Singh (36) and Sajjan Singh (38) -- were held following an encounter with the police in which the two accused were injured in their legs.

The injured accused are currently admitted to the district hospital.

With these fresh arrests, a total of four individuals have been arrested in connection with the triple murders.

Police investigations have revealed that the killings stemmed from an altercation that erupted over moving a tractor. The situation escalated when Suresh Kumar's two sons and their associates joined the fray and opened fire indiscriminately.

IG Gautam has confirmed the formation of eight police teams, led by senior officers, to apprehend the remaining accused individuals, identified as Gyan Singh and Vivek, who were named in the FIR.

Heavy police deployments have been made at Akhri village to maintain law and order as the investigation continues.

"Prima facie old political rivalry seems to be the primary motive behind the incident," the IG told PTI.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)