Kanpur shopkeeper beaten up, threatened by BJP councillor over Rs 15 dispute

A local shopkeeper in Kanpur was beaten up by a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) councillor and his associates over a Rs 15 cigarette dispute.

A local shopkeeper in Kanpur was beaten up by a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) councillor and his associates over a Rs 15 cigarette dispute. The councillor, Bhavani Shankar, and his group also verbally abused and threatened the elderly shopkeeper.

The incident, with abuses being hurled at the elderly shop owner, was recorded on a mobile phone and the video was posted on social media.

The incident occurred at Ajay Rai Gupta's paan shop in Kanpur’s Chakeri, where BJP Councilor Shankar and his colleagues purchased cigarettes worth Rs 30 but only paid Rs 15. When the shopkeeper requested the remaining amount, Shankar and his accomplices got into a physical fight with him.

The BJP councillor also threatened to send the shopkeeper to prison for selling marijuana, while the old man asked for his money.

After the video of the incident gained traction on social media, the councillor released another video with the shopkeeper, and asserted that they had reached a mutual agreement at the police station. Neither of the parties has filed any complaints in the matter.

However, social media users are reacting to the video, raising questions over the BJP's rule in the state.

The police have confirmed that both parties involved in the incident were summoned to the police station, and they have reached a settlement, agreeing to avoid police intervention.