Hindu outfit leader brutally murdered in Lucknow
LUCKNOW: Lucknow-based Hindu outfit leader Kamlesh Tiwari, 52, was brutally killed by two unidentified assailants at his housecum-office in crowded Khursheed Bagh locality under Naka police station limits here on Friday afternoon. The state government has constituted a threemember special investigation team, headed by inspector general of police (IGP), Lucknow range, SK Bhagat to probe the incident.
Family members and locals initially informed the police that Kamlesh Tiwari was shot as well as stabbed by the assailants, who were wearing saffron Kurtas. Police officials later confirmed that no bullet wound was found on his body and that he died from stab wounds.
SSP Kalanidhi Naithani said the police team had managed to retrieve CCTV footage of the two suspects and multiple police teams had been deployed to nab the culprits. A CCTV clipping also surfaced during the probe in which a woman is seen with the two men suspects.
A senior police official said one of the assailants is also seen talking to the saffron clad woman. He said the woman’s involvement is also suspected in the murder.
Police investigators were, however, yet to ascertain the motive behind the murder but his supporters suspected a terror angle. Tiwari had posted on October 13, 2019 on his twitter handle a news story published in an English newspaper on the charge sheet filed by Gujarat Anti Terror Squad (ATS) against two ISIS sus
DEFENCE MINISTER AND LUCKNOW MP RAJNATH SINGH SPOKE TO DGP OP SINGH AND DM OVER TIWARI MURDER AND ASKED THEM TO WORK OUT THE CASE AT THE EARLIEST
pects Ubaid Mirza and Kasim Stimberwala, who were arrested in October 2017.
The story said the two suspects had planned to eliminate Tiwari, who through the post also questioned withdrawal of his security cover around a year ago.
The murder led to massive outrage on the social media. Some Hindu outfits also staged a protest in Lucknow to demand arrest of the killers. Shops at Ganesh Ganj market, which is adjacent to Khursheed Bagh, were closed apprehending trouble after the incident.
Heavy police force was deployed to ward off any trouble.
One of Tiwari’s associates, Shishir Chaturvedi said deputy CM Dinesh Sharma visited the victim’s house during evening hours but stopped by supporters of Tiwar’s. “We want the CM to visit the family,” he said
Protesters also shouted slogans against Sharma, who later said, “They will be given compensation as well as security and police are trying to nab the culprits.”
DM Kaushal Raj Sharma and SSP Kalanidhi Naithani were camping in the locality till late Friday night.
Tiwari’s close friend Sushil Bajpai said Tiwari had association with Hindu Mahasabha in the past but he quit the organisation and formed Hindu Samaj Party in January 2017. He said the victim also operated a local news group Rashtravadi Dharamsatta.
Bajpai said Tiwari was continuously organising protests against the killing of Hindu outfit activists in West Bengal and was in the crosshairs of extremist and terror organisations.
He said earlier some Muslim clerics in Bijnor had announced a bounty of ₹ 51 lakh for beheading him over his objectionable remarks, which led to massive protests by Muslim outfits in 2015.
He was also arrested and jailed for his remarks.
He was provided security after he was bailed out in 2016. Narrating the sequence of the incident, Tiwari’s another close associate Saurashtra Jeet Singh, who saw the two assailants, said he along with Tiwari’s wife Kiran, his two sons Rishi, 17, and Mridul, 13, were present in the house when the two assailants visited Tiwari after approaching him over his mobile phone.
He said the assailants were wearing saffron Kurtas and jeans while one of them was also wearing cap and spectacles.
He said the two assailants were seeking his help about the marriage of a Hindu youth with a Muslim girl while sitting in Tewari’s room on the first floor and had tea as well. He said Tiwari sole security, a constable, was present in the ground floor.
“I was present in the same room before Tiwari sent me to bring Pan Masala from a near-by shop. He was attacked apparently as soon as I left the place,” said Singh. He said when he returned within few minutes he found Tiwari lying on the floor in a pool of blood and the two unknown visitors missing.
He said he with the help of some locals rushed Tiwari to the trauma centre of King George Medical University where he was declared dead.