DG Prison’s Murder: Accused domestic servant arrested

Jammu and Kashmir police Tuesday said that the accused domestic servant involved in the murder of DG Prisons H K Lohia has been arrested and his interrogation has been started.

“In a major manhunt launched by the J&K police throughout the night, the accused involved in the murder case of (DG Prisons) H K Lohia has been apprehended. Interrogation of the accused has been started,” ADGP Jammu, Mukesh Singh, tweeted as per news agency.

Earlier, J&K Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbagh Singh stated that for a time being police rules out the militancy angle into the murder of DG Prisons H K Lohia while investigations will cover all angles.

“The accused has been aggressive in nature. DG Prisons had a foot injury and the domestic help while trying to massage the foot attacked him with sharp edged weapon and later tried to set his body ablaze,” J&K DGP told reporters after visiting slain DG Prison’s residence in Jammu, as per KNO. He said that the accused locked the main door while family members tried hard to save DG Prisons. “It seems that DG Prisons succumbed to injuries caused to him,” he said.

The DGP said that photographs of the murderer have been circulated in the media and a hunt has been launched him to track him down. Chief Secretary of J&K A K Mehta also visited residence of DG Prisons.

Earlier, Jammu and Kashmir police had said that the domestic help was involved in the murder of Director General Prisons H K Lohia and the accused on the run. Police also said that so far there is no apparent terror act while a thorough probe to cover all angles was on.

A statement issued by the ADGP Jammu Mukesh Singh to KNO said that in the initial investigation into the incident of death of DG Prisons, HK Lohia, it has come to fore that one domestic helper Yasir Ahmead resident of Ramban is the main accused.

“Some CCTV footages collected from the incident site also shows the suspected accused running away after commission of this crime,” the statement said, adding that Yasir was working in the house for nearly six months.

“Initial investigation reveals that he was quite aggressive in his behaviour and was also under depression as per sources,” the statement said. “So far no terror act is apparent as per Initial investigation but thorough probe is on to rule out any possibility. The weapon of offence has been seized besides some documentary evidence reflecting his mental state.”

Police have also released the photographs of the accused stating that anyone who gets any information of him or he is seen anywhere, the information must be shared with the police. On Monday late night, DG Prisons was found dead under mysterious circumstances at his Jammu residence. The domestic help was found absconding. Born in 1965, Lohia was a 1992-IPS Officer. He was appointed as DG Prisons in August 2022. Pertinently, the murder of DG Prisons has taken place at a time when Union Home Minister Amit Shah is in Jammu. Shah arrived in Jammu on Monday late afternoon and is scheduled to address a mega rally at Rajouri and in Baramulla district of Kashmir—(KNO)