NEW DELHI, Oct 4: After a massive manhunt, the Jammu and Kashmir police on Tuesday arrested the domestic servant of the union territory’s director general (prisons) Hemant Lohia who was found murdered. The police have so far ruled out any terror angle in the murder.
Yasir Ahmed, the 23-year-old domestic help who worked at Lohia’s residence, and was on the run, was arrested after night-long search. He is currently being questioned about the alleged murder of the top cop, ADGP Mukesh Singh said.
A 1992 batch IPS officer, Hemant Kumar Lohia was found murdered at his residence on the outskirts of Jammu late Monday night. Police said the 57-year-old’s throat was slit and burn injuries were found on his body.
Director General of Police Dilbag Singh said preliminary examination of the crime scene indicated that the killer had first suffocated Lohia to death and also used a broken ketchup bottle to slit his throat. He later attempted to set the body ablaze.
Earlier, police sources had revealed that the CCTV footage recovered by the police from the crime scene shortly after the murder showed that Yasir was trying to run away.
Originally from Halla-Dhandrath village in Ramban district, Yasir had been working at Lohia’s residence for the last six months. Citing preliminary investigation, police said the young man exhibited aggressive behaviour and seemed to be depressed.
Meanwhile, terror outfit People’s Anti-Fascist Front (PAFF) claimed responsibility for Lohia’s murder, which took place at a time when Union Home Minister Amit Shah is on a three-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir.
Hemant Kumar Lohia was staying at his friend Rajiv Khajuria’s house along with his own family as the official house allocated to him was under renovation.
(Manas Dasgupta)
