The ‘Rajasthan Bandh’ called in support of the demand the arrest of the culprits behind the murder of National President of Shri Rajput Karni Sena Sukhdev Gogamedi paralysed road traffic even as schools remained closed in parts of Rajasthan.
Sporadic incidents of clashes between the police and protestors, stone pelting, tyre burning and damaging shops were reported from Jaipur, Udaipur, Chittorgarh, and Sojat city, a senior police officer of Law and Order at Police Headquarters told The Statesman.
Director General of Police Umesh Mishra set up a special investigation team (SIT) headed by Additional Director General of Police (Crime) to go into the case and announced a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh for anyone who provides the police with clues to the two culprits.
Meanwhile, the Rajasthan Police have identified two gunners, one from Makrana in the state, and another from Mahendragarh, Haryana, said to be an army jawan, as accused behind the murder.
As the new BJP government has not yet been formed in the state, Governor Kalraj Mishra called the chief secretary, home secretary, director general of police and police commissioner, Jaipur to Raj Bhavan for a review of the law and order situation in the state.
The governor called the murder in broad daylight a serious matter and instructed the police heads to constantly monitor the situation arising from organised crime. He said the police and administration should take effective steps at all levels to ensure that law and order does not deteriorate in the state at any level.
Besides state capital Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Churu, Chittorgarh and Ajmer observed total bandh. The agitators were seen closing shops, smashing the glass doors of shops and pulling down street vend and road side shops. Stray incidents of tyre burning were reported from Jaipur and Udaipur,
At Bhilwara railway station, a passenger train was stopped by the protesters by standing on the rail track. Similar cases were reported from Jodhpur railway station. National Highway 44 in Dholpur remained jammed for hours. Highway services were also affected on the Delhi-Jaipur, Jodhpur-Jaipur.
Gogamedi was allegedly shot dead by two unknown assailants here at his house in the Shyam Nagar area. One person, who brought them to the house, was also gunned down. One of the security guards of Gogamedi and an aide also sustained bullet injuries.
It is pertinent to mention that Gogamedi’s group is a faction of Shri Rajput Karni Sena (earlier run by late Lokendra Kalvi) that was very active in protesting against the Bollywood movie Padmavat in 2017 and Ekta Kapoor’s Jodha Akbar was also opposed by this group in 2014-15.