Advocate killed over ticket dispute at fair in UP, 16 booked

16 people, including the organiser of a ‘Jal Pari’ show at Ballia’s Dadri Mela, have been booked for allegedly killing an advocate over a dispute at the ticket counter, police said on Wednesday.

The 50-year-old man collapsed after the alleged assault on Sunday and later succumbed to his injuries, they said.

An FIR was filed late Tuesday night at Ballia City Kotwali against show organiser Himanshu Dixit and 15 unidentified people under Section 103(2) (murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.

The FIR stated that advocate Praveen Kumar Singha had gone to the Dadri Mela with his family on the evening of November 23.

When the man went to purchase tickets for the ‘Jal Pari’ show, he was allegedly not given the right amount of change. He objected to it and the the staff allegedly abused and thrashed him over it. Praveen collapsed during the assault and later died, it said.

Ballia City Circle Officer Mohammad Usman said a detailed investigation is underway following the registration of the case.