A 54-year-old pharmacist who was killed in Maharashtra’s Amravati town last month, allegedly in a hate crime for his social media posts backing controversial comments on Prophet Mohammed, was ambushed by his attackers, who chased him on motorbikes, cornered him in a lane, and stabbed him multiple times, according to close-circuit television footage that surfaced on Tuesday.
The pharmacist, Umesh Kolhe, supposedly earned the attackers’ ire for supporting suspended Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Nupur Sharma’s objectionable statements on the Prophet. Two men on a motorcycle slit Kolhe’s throat when he was returning home on his scooter after closing his medical store near Ghantaghar in Shyam Chowk area of Amravati city between 10pm and 10.30pm on June 21.
The National Investigation Agency took over the probe on July 5 and has arrested seven people so far, charging them with terrorist activities.
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One CCTV clip showed Kolhe purportedly surrounded by his killers and subsequently falling down after being attacked. It showed the masked killers were waiting in a corner, expecting Kolhe to pass by, approximately 15 minutes before the incident. In the footage, another red car was seen arriving at the spot. However, police are not sure if its occupants were in any way linked to the murder.
In another CCTV footage, Kolhe could purportedly be seen being chased by attackers riding bikes. These attackers could also be seen cornering Kolhe in a lane and then stabbing him. The purported assailants stabbed Kolhe multiple times before fleeing, as the pharmacist lay bleeding profusely.
{{/usCountry}}In another CCTV footage, Kolhe could purportedly be seen being chased by attackers riding bikes. These attackers could also be seen cornering Kolhe in a lane and then stabbing him. The purported assailants stabbed Kolhe multiple times before fleeing, as the pharmacist lay bleeding profusely.
{{/usCountry}}HT could not independently verify the authenticity of the videos.
“We do not know how the CCTV footage went viral on social media. We are yet to verify its authenticity,” Vikram Sali, deputy commissioner of police, Amravati city, said. The NIA will look into it, he added.
Sanket Kolhe, son of the victim, also doubted the authenticity of the CCTV footage. “I have some reservation about its authenticity,” Sanket said.
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NIA has taken over murder probe and obtained transit custody of the seven accused – Muddasar Ahmad, Shahrukh Pathan, Abdul Taufiq, Shoaib Khan, Atib Rashid, Yusuf Khan, and the alleged mastermind Shaikh Irfan Shaikh Rahim. They will be produced before a special court in Mumbai for fresh custody.
“The incident was an act of larger conspiracy of a group of accused persons and others who have conspired among themselves to strike terror amongst a section of people of India and with their assertions attempted to promote enmity on the grounds of religion and thereby commit a terrorist act,” NIA said in its FIR.
NIA is also probing the international connection in the case, which came a week before the gruesome killing of a 47-year-old tailor, Kanhaiya Lal, in Udaipur by two Muslim men because the Hindu man had backed Sharma’s comments.