Mystery shrouds murder of J&K's DG Prisons HK Lohia IPS: Domestic help main accused, evidence found [details]

Nearly eight hours after the Director General of Police (DGP) Prisons Department Hemant Kumar Lohia was found murdered in a house at Udheywalla, the police issued a statement in which it mentioned that absconding domestic help Yasir Ahmed is the main accused.

An IPS officer of the 1992 batch of erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir cadre, presently AGMUT, was found murdered in a house at Udheywalla on the outskirts of the city on late Monday evening. The murder was shrouded in a mystery as most of the police officials declined to elaborate saying investigations are at a preliminary stage.

"In the initial investigation into the incident of death of DG Prisons, HK Lohia, it has come to fore that one domestic helper Yasir Ahmed resident of Ramban is the main accused. Some CCTV footage collected from the incident site also shows the suspected accused running away after the commission of this crime. He was working in this house for nearly six months. Initial investigation also reveals that he was quite aggressive in his behaviour and was also under depression as per sources", a statement issued by police reads.

The police have recovered the accused's personal diary, which has many hints that show he was under medical depression. 

"So far no terror act is apparent as per the initial investigation but a thorough probe is on to rule out any possibility. The weapon of offence has been seized besides some documentary evidence reflecting his mental state. The photographs of the suspected accused are attached. Anyone who gets any information of him or he is seen anywhere, the information must be shared with police on phone numbers..9797517317, 9419101474, 0191-2543937", the statement reads.

HK Lohia murdered in a house at Udheywalla

Hemant Kumar Lohia was found dead under mysterious circumstances at the residence of his family friend in the Udheywalla area of Jammu.

The body of Lohia was found under suspicious circumstances on Monday night. The first examination of the scene of crime reveals that this was a murder case. The domestic help with the officer is absconding. A search has been started.

Sources said the body bore multiple injuries and an attempt was also made to set the body on fire.

Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Jammu Zone, Mukesh Singh confirmed that it was a murder case saying the body of Hemant Lohia, DG Prisons was found under suspicious circumstances.

"First examination of the scene of crime reveals that this is a suspected murder case," Singh said. He added that domestic help with the officer is absconding and a search for him has been launched.

Unconfirmed reports said the body of Hemant Lohia had burn injuries and his throat had also been slit. He was reportedly at the residence of his family friend from Rajouri, Sanjeev Khajuria, who runs an NGO where the murder took place.

Lohia remained on Central deputation for quite a long period but returned to Jammu and Kashmir this year in February in the rank of Additional Director General of Police and was posted as Commandant General in Home Guards/Civil Defence/ State Disaster Response Force (SDRF).
He was later promoted to Director General of Police and was posted as DG Prisons in August.

Terror group claims responsibility on social media

Although Jammu Police have ruled out any terror angle, a press release, issued by a terror outfit- "People's Anti-Fascist Front" has claimed the sensational murder of a senior Hemant Kumar Lohia.

In a post circulated on social media, the terror group claimed that it had executed the murder of the officer. In the post, it has been claimed that a special squad has killed DG Prison, H K Lohia, at his residence in Udaiwala. The claims are unverified and contrary to the police's investigations.