Reward for two behind bomb attack on minister

Lucknow (IANS) The Uttar Pradesh government Thursday announced a reward of Rs.1 lakh each on the two men wanted in connection with the bomb attack on a minister, in which two people were killed.

"The reward has been announced on Manoj Pandey and Purushottam Dubey, who were also involved in plotting the attack on the minister (for Finance - Stamps and Registrations Nand Gopal Gupta) in Allahabad," Additional Director General (Law and Order) Brij Lal told reporters here.

"An extensive search operation, involving officials of Special Operations Group (SOG) and Special Task Force (STF) is already in progress to nab the two men," he added.

Four people, including a local Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Dileep Mishra, who is block pramukh (chief) of Allahabad district's Chaka block and who allegedly masterminded the attack, are already in police custody.

The bomb blast took place July 12 near the minister's house in Mutthiganj area of Allahabad, around 200 km from here.

A man, Rakesh Malviya, 45, died on the spot, while five others, including the minister and a journalist were injured in the blast. The journalist, Vijay Pratap Singh, succumbed to his injuries July 20 while being treated in a hospital in Delhi.