Hemant Kumar Lohia, the J&K Director General of Police (Prisons), was found dead at his friend's home on the outskirts of Jammu city on Monday evening. The police arrested the prime accused in the case after a night-long search.
The police have alleged that the accused, who was Lohia's domestic help, had mental health issues.
"In a major manhunt launched by J&K police throughout the night, the accused involved in the murder case of Shri Hemant Lohia has been apprehended. Interrogation of the accused has started," the J&K police said after arresting the accused.
Upon finding the body, the police told the media that it was found under suspicious circumstances. While the investigation is on, here's a look at what the police have found so far in the case.
Where was his body found?
Lohia was found dead under suspicious circumstances at a house on the outskirts of Jammu. The Indian Express reported that the house was located in the Udaywala area.
What have the police said?
The police had said that they suspected murder when they found the officer's body, and the domestic help absconding. The police launched a search operation to find the help, whom they named as prime accused.
J&K DGP Dilbag Singh, earlier on Tuesday said, the helper attacked Lohia with a sharp weapon and killed him. "The accused as per history is an aggressive, unstable person. His pictures have been issued in the media & hunt for him is on," Singh told ANI.
Sing told the media that the help was waiting for Lohia inside the room on the pretext of "helping him with some ailment". Lohia had been staying at his friend's house for the past few days.
Is there a terror angle?
The suspected murder of the Lohia comes on a day when Home Minister Amit Shah is on a visit to Jammu and Kashmir, raising questions about a terror angle. However, the police have denied this.
Mukesh Singh told ANI, "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."
Who was HK Lohia?
HK Lohia was an IPS officer of the 1992 batch. The Hindu reported that he had been appointed the Director General of Prisons, Jammu and Kashmir in August 2022.
