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Centre asks NIA to probe Amravati pharmacist’s killing

The Union Home Ministry handed over the probe into the June 21 killing of a pharmacist in Maharashtra’s Amravati to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) amid indications that the deceased was killed over a social media post in support of suspended Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member Nupur Sharma.

“MHA has handed over the investigation of the case relating to the barbaric killing of Shri Umesh Kolhe in Amravati Maharashtra on 21st June to NIA. The conspiracy behind the killing, involvement of organisations and international linkages would be thoroughly investigated,” the ministry tweeted.

The local police arrested six persons – Muddsir Ahamed (22), Shahrukh Pathan (25), Abdul Thoufk (24), Shoaib Khan (22), Atib Rashid (22) and Yousuf Khan Bahadur (44) – in the case so far and seized CCTV footage of the incident. A sixth accused- Shamin Ahmed is absconding.

The said case was reported a week before the Udaipur incident where Kanhaiya Lal, a 40-year-old tailor was beheaded by two persons on June 28. The NIA is also probing the Udaipur case.

After the Udaipur incident came to light, the local BJP members had met the Amravati police commissioner and expressed suspicion that Mr. Kolhe may have been killed for his social media posts in support of Ms Sharma.