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Salooni Murder Case: Himachal cops exploring possible terror links of accused
The investigation into the murder case of BJP worker Manohar Lal, who was killed in Salooni of Chamba district, has expanded to J&K as the Himachal Police are probing suspected terror links of the accused family
The investigation into the murder case of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker Manohar Lal, who was killed brutally over an “inter-community love affair” in Salooni of Chamba district, has expanded to Jammu and Kashmir as the Himachal Pradesh Police are probing suspected terror links of the accused family.
Talking to the mediapersons at Shimla on Saturday evening, additional director general of police (Law and Order) Abhishek Trivedi said the cops were exploring suspected terror links of the accused.
“Crucial evidences could have been found at accused’s house to prove such links but they were destroyed after crowd burnt down their house. However, police are investigating every aspect,” said Trivedi.
Since, the accused family has relatives in J&K’s Doda, the Himachal police have also contacted their Jammu and Kashmir counterpart and sought information about them, the ADGP said.
Local leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have also demanded probe by National Investigation Agency (NIA) into the murder case, claiming that the accused had terror links and he was under scanner in 1998 after terrorists killed 35 Hindu labourers at Satrundi and Kalaban in Churah sub-division.
Accused family encroached 3 bighas land: Officials
A probe conducted by the Chamba district authorities have discovered ₹10 lakh cash deposit and fixed deposit in the accounts of the key accused Musafir Hussain and his family. Besides, the key accused has also encroached upon three bighas of land at Khadroga hill near Bhandal panchayat.
Deputy commissioner Chamba, Apoorva Devgan said a probe into bank accounts of the accused is being conducted after it was alleged that he had huge cash deposits. So far, a total of ₹10 lakh has been found by the authorities in saving accounts and in form of fixed deposit, he said in a statement.
Besides, a team led by sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Salooni, Vinod Kumar also carried out demarcation of land owned by the accused. The accused owns seven bighas of land at two places—tracts of five bighas and two bighas. Besides, three bighas of land was found to be encroached upon where the accused cultivated vegetables.
The local leaders of opposition BJP had alleged that the accused had encroached upon 100 bighas of land and also had ₹2-crore of cash deposit.
Chamba police have registered an FIR against unknown people for setting accused’s house on fire. Provoked by local leaders, an angry mob had set two houses belonging to the accused on fire. One house was burnt down at Sanghni while another at Khadroga hill.
Police were analysing the video footages of the incident and may arrest some people. The police were also identifying those who fanned communal sentiments. Meanwhile, a Chamba court has sent the main accused and his wife to police remand till Monday.
Manohar Lal, 21, of Bhandal panchayat was brutally murdered “over an inter community love affair”. He had gone missing on June 6 and his body chopped into pieces was recovered from a stream on June 9. Four days later, the crime took communal overtones after some Hindu organistion leaders flared up it on social media. The police have arrested eleven members of a family in the case. However, an angry crowd burnt set houses belonging to the accused family on fire on June 15 prompting the administration to impose Section 144 of CrPC in the area. The BJP including its state president Rajeev Bindal and former chief minister Jai Ram Thakur staged a protest at Dalhousie, defying the prohibitory orders, on June 16 after they were stopped from going to meet victim’s family. The BJP on Saturday held protest demonstrations at all district headquarters and demanded NIA probe into the murder.
