Missing BJP leader found hanging from tree; daughter accuses party leader, probe ordered [details]

The mysterious death of a senior BJP leader from the Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir took a new turn when the daughter of the deceased accused the Mandal president of the party of killing her father for political reasons.

Bhawana Bharti, daughter of deceased BJP leader Somraj, alleged that her father was missing since Sunday.

"On the same day, Mandal president of BJP Rajendra Bakshi came to our house and threatened to kill my father. I am sure that my father was murdered by Bakshi", she alleged and demanded registration of a case against the BJP leader.

She alleged that her father was killed due to political rivalry so there is a need for high-level investigation.

With blood marks on his clothes, leader found hanging from a tree

A missing BJP leader was found hanging from a tree in the border tehsil of Hiranagar in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district on Tuesday.

As per reports, a villager saw the body of BJP leader Som Raj hanging from a tree at some distance from his house in Hiranagar in the morning and informed the police.

On reaching the spot, the police removed the body from the tree and took it to the sub-district hospital. The body was later handed over to the relatives after postmortem under the supervision of the board of three doctors. Reports said that the body had blood marks.

Inquest proceedings under section 174 CrPC have been initiated by Hiranagar Police in this regard.

SIT constituted to investigate the case

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted to investigate the exact cause of the death. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kathua Ramesh Kotwal Kotwal said that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by SDPO Border has been constituted to investigate the matter.

"Questioning of the leaders on whom the family has levelled allegation will also be conducted and whosoever will be found guilty will be dealt with iron hands", SSP asserted.

Meanwhile, Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh expressed his anguish over the death of senior and dedicated party leader Somraj.