DG Prison Murder row: Accused domestic help arrested,under PS Domana’s custody

The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Tuesday arrested the accused – Yasir Ahmed son of Mohd Yousaf of Dadua Halla district Ramban, the 23-year-old domestic help who worked at top cop Lohia’s residence, after a massive manhunt.

He was hiding in an under construction building in the Kanachack area. He has been booked vide FIR No:-345/2022 U/S:-302 IPC 4/25 Arms Act at Police Station Domana where his interrogation is in progress.

“In a major manhunt launched by J&K police throughout the night, the accused involved in murder case of J&K Director General of Police (Prisons) Hemant Kumar Lohia has been apprehended. The Interrogation of the accused has been started”, ADG Jammu Mukesh Singh said.

Police recovered the personal diary of Ahmed and found entries purportedly penned by him. Some of the pages carry short notes ruminating on heartbreak, life and death. One entry reads: My life 1% Happy 10% Love 0% Tension 90% Sad 99% Fake smile 100%.

While the investigation in the case was in progress, the terror outfit People’s Anti-Fascist Force, an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba, claimed responsibility for J&K police official’s murder. In a press release, terror outfit PAFF said, “Our special squad carried out an intelligence-based operation in Udaiwala, Jammu, eliminating DG of police, prisons department HK Lohia, a high-value target.”

Threatening to carry out more such high-profile operations, the terror group warned that it can “strike anytime and anywhere with precision”.

“This is a small gift to their visiting Home Minister amid such a security grid,” the PAFF said, referring to Amit Shah who is on a three-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir.

The 57-year-old Lohia, a 1992 batch IPS officer, was found dead with his throat slit at his Udaiwala residence on the outskirts of Jammu. He was posted at the DGP prisons in August. Lohia was living in Gandhi Nagar area and had recently shifted to the residence of his friend Rajiv Khajuria in Udeywala after the estate department started his house’s renovation. Khajuria runs an NGO in Rajouri and was a good friend of Lohia. Lohia was being massaged by the domestic help namely Yasir of Ramban in a room and was murdered. The accused after executing the crime set him on fire and escaped from the spot.

Director General of Police Dilbag Singh described it as an “extremely unfortunate” incident. Lohia’s domestic help, Yasir, reportedly first suffocated him to death, then slit his throat with a broken ketchup bottle, and later attempted to set the body ablaze.

Hemant Kumar Lohiawho is survived by his wife, one son and a daughter remained on central deputation for quite a long period but returned to Jammu-Kashmir in February 2022 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).

Later, he was promoted to Director General of Police and was posted as DG Prisons in August 2022.
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday said that J&K Director General of Police (Prisons) Hemant Kumar Lohia was an outstanding Police officer and a great human being.

“Lohia served the country with great honour and dedication. “Shocked and deeply grieved at his sad demise. My condolences to the bereaved family and friends, In a tweet, while expressing his grief, Jammu and Kashmir L-G Manoj Sinha said.

Director General of Police Dilbagh Singh and Additional Director General of Police, Jammu Zone, Mukesh Singh have also expressed grief over the sad demise of HK Lohia.

They termed the sad demise of HKLohia as a great loss to the J&K Police. Besides being a professional Police officer, he was also a great human being, they said. They also expressed their deepest sympathies and heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family.

Assam Police also condoles Hemant Lohia’s death: We are saddened beyond words to hear of the passing of Sh. Hemant Lohia, IPS, Director General (Prisons) J&K, a worthy son of Assam. Our heartfelt condolences are with his family, friends as well as J&K Police in this hour of grief.

“So sad to hear about the tragic murder of Hemant Lohia. He was a fine gentleman and a professional police officer. My heartfelt condolences to his family and colleagues. May his soul rest in peace. #HemantLohia, National Conference leader Nasir Aslam Wani (Sogami) wrote on Twitter.

Apni Party’s senior vice president and former minister Ghulam Hassan Mir described Lohia as a charming personality.

“It is said (sad) to know about the murder of Lohia DGP Prisons. I recall his meeting on Republic Day at Srinagar. What a charming personality. Miss him very much. RIP,” Mir said in a tweet.

“Deeply saddened by the tragic demise of Shri Hemant Lohia IPS, Director General (Prisons) @JmuKmrPolice. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and colleagues,” Srinagar Mayor and Apni Party spokesperson Junaid Azim Mattu tweeted.

Aam Aadmi Party’s J-K unit described the killing as completely unfortunate, and prayed for peace of the departed soul.

An AAP spokesman asked Jammu and the Kashmir Police and the government to ensure an indepth probe is conducted and all links associated with it are unearthed.

“The incident also shows deteriorating law and order situation in Jammu and Kashmir where even senior police officers are unsafe, what to talk of the common masses,” the spokesman said.