Tight security in Amravati after murder of a chemist
Amravati chemist murder case: Security arrangements were beefed up in Maharashtra's Amravati ahead of 'Shradhanjali Sabha' of Umesh Prahladrao Kolhe, a chemist, who was killed on June 21 over his post supporting suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma's comments involving Prophet Muhammad.
The BJP is organising a condolence meeting in the town despite being denied police permission. On Sunday, BJP leaders including Rajya Sabha MP Anil Bonde had approached the local police seeking permission for organising a condolence meeting.
Meanwhile, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken over the probe into the killing of the chemist. The 54-year-old was killed on June 21. According to police, the killing was linked to certain posts that he had shared in WhatsApp groups, supporting Nupur Sharma who has been suspended by the BJP for making comments about Prophet Mohammad. Kolhe was stabbed in the neck around 10.30 pm on June 21 after which he died.
The crime branch of Amravati city police arrested Sheikh Irfan Khan (32), the master-mind of the killing, from Nagpur on Saturday. This was the seventh arrest in the case. Earlier, police had arrested six other people - Mudassar Ahmed alias Sonu Raza Sheikh Ibrahim (22), Shahrukh Pathan alias Badshasha Hidayat Khan (25), Abdul Taufik alias Nanu Sheikh Taslim (24), Shoeb Khan alias Bhurya Sabir Khan (22), Atib Rashid Aadil Rashid (22) and Dr Yusuf Khan Bahadur Khan (44).
A team of the NIA on Sunday morning interrogated Khan, a resident of Amravati, at the City Kotwali police station, before he was taken to the Amravati district and sessions court amid tight security. He was sent to police custody till July 7.
According to the police, Khan is the director of a voluntary organisation- 'Rahbar' and police have started investigating its bank accounts now.
Police said that there were similarities between the murders of Kolhe and of tailor Kanhaiya Lal in Rajasthan's Udaipur city, as both the victims had posted messages on social media supporting Nupur Sharma. The NIA is also probing the killing of tailor Kanhaiya Lal.
READ MORE: Amravati killing: Ravi Rana, Navneet Rana meet deceased chemist Umesh Kolhe's family
