Central Agency May Probe Rajasthan Karni Sena Chief’s Murder

Markets were closed in Jaipur and some other Rajasthan districts and protesters blocked roads and stopped trains on Wednesday after a bandh call by the Rashtriya Rajput Karni Sena over the killing of its chief Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi.

Governor Kalraj Mishra spoke to Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the phone and summoned the state chief secretary, home secretary, police chief and Jaipur police commissioner to review the law and order situation in the state.

The police set up a special investigation team to probe into the killing of the Rajput leader who was shot dead by two men at his house here on Tuesday.

In the evening, some leaders of the Rajput community claimed outside the private hospital, where the body of Sukhdev Gogamedi is kept since Tuesday, that the administration has accepted their demands, including a probe by the National Investigation Agency and protection to family and eyewitnesses. They also said now the agitation will end.

However, after sometime, Gogamedi’s wife Sheela Shekhawat came out and appealed to people sitting on a dharna not to move from there. She said that till the accused’s “encounter” is not done, the community people should not move.

On Facebook, gangster Rohit Godara — said to be linked to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang — has claimed responsibility and said Gogamedi was killed for “backing” his enemies.

Police have identified the two alleged killers as Rohit Rathore from Jaipur and Nitin Fauji from Haryana’s Mahendragarh, and announced a cash reward of Rs 5 lakh for information leading to their arrest.

Markets remained closed in Jaipur, Kota, Bundi, Ajmer, Sawai Madhopur, Chittorgarh, Jhalawar, Baran and some other districts while a mass rally was taken out in Udaipur amid heavy deployment of police.

An incident of stone pelting was also reported from Gurjar ki Thadi in Jaipur, but policemen dispersed the gathering. Some people also protested outside the BJP office here.

There was no movement of public transport in Jaipur and the services of roadways buses were also affected, officials said. Long traffic jam was witnessed at 200-foot bypass in the capital city that leads to Delhi as protesters blocked the highway.

The supporters of Gogamedi gathered in the Khatipura area here in the morning from where they moved to other parts of the city asking shopkeepers to shut their shops.

Similar protests took place in Jodhpur and Udaipur as well but remained peaceful. The effects of the bandh call were seen in other districts too as people refrained from venturing out.

In Kota, private schools remained closed in view of the protests.

The emergency services like medical stores and petrol pumps were exempted from the bandh, the officials said.

In view of the bandh and jam on the highways in the state, Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation (RSRTC) stopped operating buses on many highways, a spokesperson said.

North Western Railways chief spokesperson said five trains were stopped by protesters on Bhilwara and Jaipur route, which led to a delay in train movement ranging from 16 to 54 minutes.

Governor Mishra summoned Chief Secretary Usha Sharma, Director General of Police Umesh Mishra, Jaipur Police Commissioner Biju George Joseph and other officials to review the situation.

The governor told the officials to ensure that those behind the killing are arrested soon, according to a Raj Bhawan spokesperson.

Governor Mishra also said the murder in broad daylight is a serious matter.

The SIT will be headed by Additional Director General (Crime) Dinesh MN, the officials said, adding police also carried out searches to nab the two accused.

Earlier, Jaipur Police Commissioner Joseph told news agency PTI that the accused who shot dead Gogamedi as well as Naveen Singh Shekhawat, who accompanied them to the Rajput leader’s residence, have been identified.

It is a matter of investigation whether Shekhawat, who used to run a cloth shop, was aware of the intentions of the two accused, he said.

Shekhawat’s father Girdhari Singh told PTI that his son is being falsely implicated in the case. He said that his son recently started property dealing work.

Former MLA Manoj Nyangli and community leader Radheysham Tanwar said at the agitation site outside the private hospital in Mansarover that the administration has assured NIA investigation in the matter and protection to the family members.

They said the assurance has been given from police officials.

“The deadlock has ended and a funeral is likely to take place tomorrow,” Mr Nyangli said.

After sometime, Gogamedi’s wife asked the agitators not to end the protest and also gave a Rajasthan bandh call on Thursday.

“They (police) may have accepted some demands. But I am not satisfied. Till the goons are arrested and brought in front of us, you don’t move from here,” she said.

“Promise that till their encounter is done, you will not move from here,” she said.

BJP leader Rajendra Rathore, who visited dharna site on Tuesday, told reporters at his residence that he was writing to the Union home minister for an NIA probe.

Meanwhile, Mahipal Singh Makrana, national president of Shri Rajput Karni Sena, demanded the removal of the state police chief for failing to provide security to Sukhdev Gogamedi.

“There was intelligence input about the murder of Sukhdev Gogamedi from Punjab Police but the Rajasthan Police did not provide him security. The DGP should be removed,” he told PTI.

Sukhdev Gogamedi’s supporters have demanded a compensation of Rs 11 crore for the family of the dead leader.