Protests, bandh in Rajasthan after Rajput leader’s murder; hunt on for 2 accused

Rajasthan Police on Wednesday (December 6) carried out searches to nab the two accused behind the killing of Rajput leader and national president of Shri Rashtriya Rajput Karni Sena Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi the day before.

Jaipur Police Commissioner Biju Geroge Joseph told PTI that the two accused, who shot dead Gogamedi as well as Naveen Singh Shekhawat, who accompanied them to the Rajput leader’s residence on Tuesday, have been identified and searches are on to trace them.

“One of the accused is from Haryana and the other from Rajasthan,” he said.

Joseph said the two accused secured access to Gogamedi’s house through Shekhawat. It is a matter of investigation whether Shekhawat, who used to run a cloth shop, was aware of the intentions of the two accused, he said.

One of Gogamedi’s security guards suffered bullet injuries in the exchange of fire with the assailants, who had gone to his house in the Shyam Nagar area on the pretext of meeting him, police said.

How it happened

In the CCTV footage, the attackers are seen whipping out their weapons and firing indiscriminately at Gogamedi, who is sitting on a couch opposite them and eventually falls down. Before fleeing, one of the assailants shoots a motionless Gogamedi lying on the floor from a close range.

Gogamedi formed Shri Rashtriya Rajput Karni Sena after he was expelled from Sri Rajput Karni Sena in 2015 over differences with its founder Lokendra Singh Kalvi.

Both these outfits had protested against Deepika Padukone starrer Padmaavat in 2018 over alleged distortion of historical facts about the Rajput community.

“The attackers entered Gogamedi’s house on the pretext that they wanted to talk to him. After talking to him for some time, they opened fire at him. One of Gogamedi’s security guards retaliated and was injured in the firing. During the incident, two attackers shot Naveen Shekhawat,” Rajasthan DGP Umesh Mishra told the media on Tuesday.

“The Rohit Godara gang has taken responsibility for the murder. All possible hideouts of the attackers are being raided in the neighbouring districts and the Bikaner division,” he said, adding that Rajasthan Police has also sought the cooperation of its Haryana counterparts.

“It is a serious incident and teams are at work. The accused will be arrested soon,” Mishra said, appealing to people to maintain peace.

According to officials, Governor Kalraj Mishra has sought a report from the DGP on the incident, which was caught on CCTV and triggered protests by Gogamedi’s supporters.

Protests in Rajasthan

However, the assassination triggered protests by members of the Rajput community who called for a Jaipur bandh.

Khatipura road in Jaipur was blocked while community members in large numbers sat outside the Metro Mass hospital in Mansarovar area in Jaipur where the body has been kept.

Similar protests took place in Jodhpur and Udaipur also. However, the protest was peaceful and there was no violence.

Slamming the state police for the killing, Mahipal Singh Makrana, national president of the Shri Rajput Karni Sena, demanded the removal of the state DG for “failing” to provide security to Gogamedi.

“There was an intelligence input about the murder of Sukhdev Gogamedi from Punjab Police but the Rajasthan Police did not provide him security. This is a clear failure of the police. The DG should be moved and action against negligent police officials should be taken,” he told PTI.

Makrana said there is huge resentment in the Rajput community and they will be forced to hold protests across the country if the accused were not caught. He said not only the Rajput community, but the “Sarv Samaj” (all communities) was agitated over the incident.

Gangster Rohit Godara, linked to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, has taken responsibility for the murder on a social media post, a police official said.

Gogamedi’s supporters have demanded a compensation of Rs 11 crore for the family of the slain leader. “The incident makes it clear that there is Jungle Raj (law of jungle) in Rajasthan. The accused should be killed in an encounter,” one of the supporters said.

Bishnoi gang aide suspected

A purported social media post of Rohit Godara, affiliated with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, has gone viral online in which he claims to have ordered the killing of Gogamedi as the Rajput leader was supporting his gang’s enemies and was working to strengthen them.

Soon after the news of the attack on Gogamedi broke, his supporters and members of the Rajput community started reaching his house and the hospital. Former minister Rajendra Gudha was among those who reached the hospital.

Gogamedi’s supporters blocked the Shipra Path road outside the hospital on Tuesday and demanded that the accused be arrested immediately. Protests were also held in Churu, Udaipur, Alwar and Jodhpur districts.

Congress and BJP leaders condemned the brutal killing.

Outgoing Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said in a post on X, “The murder of Shri Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi is very sad. I pray to God to give peace to the departed soul and strength to his family to bear this loss.”

In a statement, Rajasthan BJP chief CP Joshi said Gogamedi had been asking the administration to increase his security for a long time but his request was not granted.

“What were the reasons for not providing security is a matter of investigation. Criminals who create anarchy need to be arrested immediately,” he said.

Newly elected BJP MLA Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore said in a post on X that no one involved in the murder and its conspiracy will be spared.

The net has been cast and the culprits will be dragged out of their hideouts and given exemplary punishment.

In a statement, senior BJP leader Vasundhara Raje termed Gogamedi’s murder highly condemnable and unfortunate.

(With agency inputs)