Political slugfest begins between Congress, BJP over chemist's murder in Amravati allegedly for supporting Nupur Sharma

• BJP MP Anil Bonde claimed the chemist was killed to take revenge and set an example

• Former Congress minister Yashomati Thakur urges people not to believe in rumours

Mumbai: After Udaipur, another murder took place in Maharashtra over a post on BJP’s suspended spokesperson Nupur Sharma. A 54-year-old chemist was hacked to death in Amravati for allegedly making a social media post in support of suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma. Chemist Umesh Prahladrao Kolhe was stabbed to death in Amravati on June 21, a week before two men hacked to death Kanhaiya Lal, a tailor in Rajasthan's Udaipur. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) will probe the case after directives from the union home ministry based on the plea by BJP MP Anil Bonde.

‘’The conspiracy behind the killing, involvement of organisations and international linkages would be thoroughly investigated," the union home ministry said. Sources said that since this murder has been committed for exactly the same reasons as the Udaipur killing, NIA will investigate if the same network had instigated both the groups to launch attacks and if this case too has any links with Pakistan.

The NIA team will soon reach Amravati and collect inputs from the Amravati city police. Kolhe’s death has pitted BJP and Congress against each other.

‘’Amravati police spent additional time to confirm this perspective of hatred. I went to the police commissioner and presented a screenshot of his post. In Amravati, more than 10 people, including some physicians, received threats to withdraw their support for Nupur Sharma,’’ claimed Bonde. He alleged that Kolhe was killed to ‘’take revenge and set an example.’’

However, the Amravati police said that they have received the letter from BJP leaders and are investigating the matter. An FIR has been lodged and six people have been arrested in connection with the case. All six accused were in police custody till August 4.

Former minister Yashomati Thakur said the city police countered Bonde’s charge saying, ‘’The police had investigated Kolhe’s death. The police had said that the accused and the killer had business links and the entire case has been traced by the police. We should take note of the sentiments expressed by the Hon'ble Supreme Court on such incidents yesterday. The NIA should properly investigate this incident. I appeal to the people of Amravati and the state to keep the peace, not believe the rumors.’’

According to the police, they have seized the knife with which the murder was committed, mobile phones, vehicle and clothes used for the crime, and obtained CCTV footage from the scene of crime. “We have sent the seized electronic devices to DFSL, and scrutiny of technical evidence is in progress. The bank accounts of all arrested accused and their family members were obtained and scrutiny is in progress,” they said.