SIT rules out terror angle in J&K prisons chief murder, finds accused was driven by 'deep grudges'

The sensational murder of Lohia, a 1992-batch IPS officer, had raised many eyebrows especially after a little-known terror group PAFF claimed responsibility

Ruling out terror angle in the sensational murder of H K Lohia, a former director general of Jammu and Kashmir prisons, in October last year, the police investigation in the case has found accused Yassir Ahmad was driven by "deep grudges" against high-ranking officials.

The Jammu and Kashmir crime branch Special Investigation Team that carried out a detailed probe, including a Narco analysis on Ahmed, concluded he was disturbed over self-assumed noncompliance of promises of a government job in lieu of services he rendered as a domestic help to Lohia, an official said.

The sensational murder of Lohia, a 1992-batch IPS officer, had raised many eyebrows especially after a little-known terror group, Peoples Anti-Fascist Front (PAFF), claimed responsibility. It was dismissed by police as mere tactics of these outfits to own "everything shamelessly".

During a detailed enquiry, the official said, the police could not find any link between Ahmed and any terror group. His detailed journey over the two years, after he left his home at Halla Dandrath of Ramban district in Jammu, was also chalked out.

The charge sheet said the accused, during the narco analysis conducted in Gujarat, showed that he had "deep grudges" against authorities and felt "betrayed", they said.

Ahmed, who has been charged under 302 (murder), 201 (destruction of evidence) and 4/25 of Arms Act (using petrol to burn the body and destroy evidence), had been working at a private residence of Lohia since February last year.

The accused considered the deceased as a "symbol of authority" and killed him with a butcher knife and poured petrol to burn his body, the officials said.

The accused also made an unsuccessful attempt to commit suicide afterwards by hanging himself from the roof. However, the belt could not sustain the weight of his body, the officials said, adding during investigation this fact could not be corroborated.

Lohia was found dead at his makeshift residence on the outskirts of Jammu on October 3. Ahmed, 23, was arrested for the murder next day after fleeing the scene of the crime under the cover of darkness.

Police had issued a statement in which they said "during investigation, all cogent evidence (oral, documentary, circumstantial, expert and technical) were collected by the SIT. Besides, a narco analysis test of the accused was also conducted at DFSL Gandhinagar in Gujarat".

Police had registered a FIR on October 3 and later the matter was handed over to the crime branch.

After over two month-and-a-half months of hectic efforts, the crime branch filed the charge sheet of the case in a court here on December 28.