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Karni Sena murder: SIT set up, protests break out in Rajasthan
Markets were shut down as thousands of supporters of Shri Rashtriya Rajput Karni Sena (SRRKS) chief Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi held protests across Rajasthan on Wednesday against his killing the day before, upping the pressure on police to find the two gunmen
Markets were shut down as thousands of supporters of Shri Rashtriya Rajput Karni Sena (SRRKS) chief Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi held protests across Rajasthan on Wednesday against his killing the day before, upping the pressure on police to find the two gunmen.
The Rajasthan police formed a special investigation team and director general of police (DGP) Umesh Mishra said ₹5 lakh will be offered for information on each of the two men who shot dead Gogamedi in his living room.
“The additional director general of police (crime) Dinesh MN will supervise the investigation of the team. We have identified both the accused who shot Gogamedi dead. Whoever will provide a fruitful lead on their locations will awarded ₹5 lakh for each of the two. Further investigation is underway,” said Mishra.
The alleged shooters were identified as Rohit Rathore Makrana from Jaipur and Nitin Fouji, Haryana. “The two on Tuesday used a local neighbour of Gogamedi, Naveen Singh Shekhawat, to get access at the SRRKS chief’s premises but later killed him along with Gogamedi to escape the crime scene,” said Yogesh Goyal, the deputy commissioner of police (DCP), Jaipur south.
Gangster Rohit Godara, linked to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, took responsibility for the murder in a social media post, a police official said, adding that Godara accused Gogamedi of backing his enemies — the purported motive of the crime.
The killing triggered protests by members of the Rajput community. Majority of the markets remained closed in Jaipur, Udaipur, Bundi, Ajmer, Sawai Madhopur, Chittorgarh and other districts after the SRRKS called a shutdown to protest the murder.
One of the large protests gatherings was outside the Metro Mass hospital in the Mansarovar area in Jaipur where Gogamedi’s body is kept. The outgoing leader of opposition and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Rajendra Rathore and former minister and Shiv Sena leader Rajendra Gudha reached the spot to join the protesters.
In the state capital, protesters fanned across several pockets, forcing traders to shut shop and public transport to be halted. Agitated mobs torched tyres at many places across the state.
In two instances, in Jaipur and Udaipur, police used mild force to disburse mobs after they started pelting stones.
Jaipur Police Commissioner Biju Geroge Joseph offered new details about the events leading up to the shooting. “The two accused secured access to Gogamedi’s house through Naveen Shekhawat. 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, while appealing the people to maintain the peace in the city.
On Fouji’s whereabouts, his father told PTI that he had gone to Mahendergarh on November 9 to get his car repaired. “Since then he has not been in no contact with us,” he said.
The residence of Makrana in Jaipur was found locked when the police visited it on Wednesday.
Hours after the murder, Godara, who said he was associated with Lawrence Bishnoi’s gang, claimed responsibility for the shooting in a Facebook post. “Brothers, I, Rohit Godara Kapurisar and Goldy Brar are taking full responsibility for the murder of Sukhdev Gogamedi... He cooperated with our enemies to make them a strong organisation. Our enemies, be prepared... we will see you soon...”
Bishnoi’s gang has claimed the responsibility for dozens of high-profile killings in Delhi, Haryana, and Rajasthan, including that of Panjabi Singer Siddhu Moose Walla in 2022, and a Gangster Raju Thethher two days ago. The gangster, who has been imprisoned since 2014 and in Delhi’s Tihar jail since 2022, also threatened to murder actor Salman Khan.
