LG Manoj Sinha, DGP Dilbag Singh express grief
STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: A 23-year-old man working as a domestic help was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly murdering Jammu and Kashmir Director General (Prisons) Hemant K Lohia, police said.
Yasir Lohar’s arrest from a field in Kanhachak area followed a major all-night manhunt, police said in a statement, adding that his interrogation was underway.
The 1992-batch IPS officer was found dead on Monday night at his friend’s house on the outskirts of Jammu, with burn injuries on his body and his throat slit.
Police said initial investigations did not point towards a terror angle.
Though a terror group People’s Anti-Fascist Front (PAFF) claimed responsibility for his murder, Director General of Police Dilbag Singh, who visited the crime scene, told reporters these terror groups shamelessly own everything and anything.
There was no clue which suggested involvement of any terror group. For the time being, the terror angle is ruled out but if, during investigation, such a thing comes to light, we will see to it, he said.
The murder of Lohia, who had returned to head the prisons of the union territory, came at a time when Union Home Minister Amit Shah is on a three-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir.
“In a major manhunt launched by Jammu and Kashmir police throughout the night, the accused involved in murder case of the DG prisons has been apprehended. Interrogation of the accused has started, Additional Director General of Police, Mukesh Singh said.
Terming it as an unfortunate incident, the police chief said the force has got relevant clues from the scene which indicate that the accused had a history of aggressive behaviour.
He said the suspect had bolted the room from inside when the DGP was rubbing balm on his foot.
The domestic help repeatedly attacked him with a sharp object and even threw a burning pillow towards him in an apparent bid to set ablaze the body of the victim.
The 57-year-old Lohia, who was promoted and appointed as Director General of Prisons in the Union Territory in August, had shifted to his friend’s house only a few days back.
Earlier, the ADGP had said that preliminary examination of the crime scene indicated that Lohia must have been applying some oil on his foot which showed swelling.
The killer suffocated Lohia to death and also used a broken ketchup bottle to slit his throat and later tried to set the body afire, he said.
The guards present at the residence of the officer saw fire inside his room and broke open the door, the ADGP said.
The officials said raids were conducted by special teams at different places including the domestic help’s home town in Halla-Dhandrath village in Ramban district where some persons including his fiance were detained for questioning.
The ADGP said the CCTV footage collected from the incident site showed the accused running away after the commission of the crime.
“Lohar was working in this house for nearly six months Initial investigation revealed that he was quite aggressive in his behaviour and was also under depression, he said
“A thorough probe is on to rule out any possibility. The weapon of offence has been seized besides some documentary evidence reflecting his (domestic help’s) mental state, he said.
Officials said the body of the deceased officer was shifted to the Government Medical College (GMC) hospital Jammu for postmortem.
Sharing some pages from the diary of the accused, a police official said Lohar, a school dropout, was apparently fed up with his life.
The domestic help wrote in his diary that he was 99 percent sad but wearing a 100 percent fake smile’.
I am 10 percent happy, having zero percent love in life and 90 percent tension in life. I hate my life which only gives pain and waiting for death to restart my life, he wrote in the diary.
DG (Prisons) Lohia was found dead at his residence on the outskirts of Jammu on Monday night. His throat was slit and there were burn injuries on the body.
According to Additional Director General of Police, Mukesh Singh, Lohar was working in this house for nearly six months.
“Initial investigations reveal he was quite aggressive in his behaviour and was also under depression,” he said.
The ADGP said a preliminary examination of the crime scene indicated that Lohia must have been applying some oil on his foot, which was swollen. The killer allegedly suffocated Lohia to death and used a broken ketchup bottle to slit his throat and later tried to set the body afire.
“The suspect had bolted the room from inside while he was rubbing balm on his foot. He repeatedly attacked him with a sharp object and even threw a burning pillow towards him in an apparent bid to set the body ablaze,” he said.
Meanwhile, Lt Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday expressed shock and grief over the murder of Director General (Prisons) H K Lohia, saying he served the country with great honour and dedication.
A 1992-batch IPS officer, Lohia was found murdered under suspicious circumstances at his residence on the outskirts of Jammu on Monday night. His domestic help has emerged as the main suspect in the case.
“Shri Hemant Lohia was an outstanding Police officer and a great human being. He served the country with great honour & dedication. Shocked and deeply grieved at his sad demise. My condolences to the bereaved family and friends,” the Lt Governor said in a tweet.
The Director General of Police, Dilbag Singh, on behalf of all ranks of Jammu and Kashmir Police have condoled and expressed grief over tragic, sad and unfortunate demise of Director General of Prisons, J&K, H.K Lohia who was found murdered last night at Jammu.
In his condolence message the DGP,J&K has expressed his grief over the loss of a professional, hardworking and dedicated senior officer. He said that the officer was a very dear colleague and his services and contributions to the different organizations will always be remembered. The department and he himself are “deeply saddened by this huge loss”, DGP said
DGP conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family and relatives of the departed officer on behalf of the Jammu and Kashmir Police Pariwar and prayed for the departed soul.
He said that the murder of Lohia will be investigated thoroughly from all the angles to reach to the bottom of the crime.
IPS officer of 1992 batch H. K Lohia was born in 1965 to Shayam Sunder Lohia of A.T. Road Gowhati Assam. During his services the officer served at key positions including both staff and field and contributed immensely for Jammu and Kashmir Police, BSF and Prisons Department. He remained posted as SDPO Gandhi Nagar, SP (R&H) Srinagar, SP Rajouri, CO JKAP-7th Bn, SSP CID CIK, AD SKPAU, DIG Admn. PHQ, DIG CKR SGR, DIG CID, DIG SKR Ang., DIG Doda Range, DIG CKR Srinagar, IGP Traffic J&K, Director SSG, IGP Technical Services, DEP to GOI (BSF as IG), Comdt. Genl. HG/CD/SD and DG Prisons.
From “I hate my life” and “Dear death I am waiting for you” to Bollywood songs about sadness and the final farewell, the recent diary entries of a man who allegedly killed Director General (Prisons) Hemant K Lohia reveal he was “under depression”.
Yasir Lohar, the 23-year-old domestic help, was arrested following a major manhunt through the night. It seemed, according to police, the school dropout was fed up with life.
In Hindi and broken English, he has also written in his diary one-line sentences like: “I want Restart My life”, “Zindagi to bas taklif deti hai, sukoon to maut hi deti hai (life only hurts, death brigs peace), and “everyday starts with expectation but ends with bad experience”.
Lohar, a school dropout, has also scribbled in his diary a popular Bollywood song from movie Ashiqui 2 — “Bhula dena mujhe, hai alvida tujhe” — in which the lyrics talks about separation and goodbyes.
He wrote he was “99 percent sad” in his life but wore a “fake smile 100 percent”.
“I am 10 percent happy, having zero percent love in life and 90 percent tension in life. I hate my life which only gives pain and waiting for death to restart my life,” he wrote.
