Muslim spiritual leader of Afghan origin shot dead in Nashik; one detained

The Afghan refugee was shot dead at point blank range by three unidentified assailants in Yeola taluka of Nasik district on Wednesday evening

Nashik police on Wednesday detained one person in connection to the murder of Hazrat Khwaja Syed Zarif Maudood Chishty (35), an Afghan refugee and Muslim religious leader who was popularly known as ‘Sufi Baba’, officials said.

According to police, multiple bullets were fired at Chishty but one of them hit his forehead. (HT picture)

The search for two more suspects is on.

The Afghan refugee was shot dead at point blank range by three unidentified assailants in Yeola taluka of Nasik district on Wednesday evening.

Nashik Superintendent of Police Sachin Patil said, “Chishty was living in Nashik district for the past four years and was running a Youtube channel about religious discourse. He also offered religious services. We suspect he was murdered by his driver and other accomplices in the vehicle”

Since Chishty was a foreign national, the property included a vehicle he had purchased in someone else’s name. “We are interrogating the person in our detention. Search is on for other suspects,” said Patil.

According to Patil, multiple bullets were fired at Chishty but one of them hit his forehead, leading to his death.

According to preliminary investigation, property or financial dispute could be the motive behind the murder which took place in an open plot in the MIDC area of Yeola, around 215 kilometres from Pune.

Yeola Rural Police Station incharge Bhagwan Mathure said, “Prima facie it seems to be a murder over property dispute and investigation is on. The victim had given money to another person to buy a property and investigation is going on that count,” he told HT.

According to eyewitnesses, the deceased was shot with a gun in the forehead by the attackers after which he died on the spot. The accused seized Chisty’s SUV and fled the spot.

A case under IPC 302 (murder) and relevant sections has been registered at Yeola rural police station.