DG Prisons murdered in Jammu; domestic help emerges as prime suspect

Director General (Prisons) of Jammu and Kashmir, Hemant K Lohia was found murdered at his residence, as per police, who asserted that his domestic help has emerged as the prime suspect in murder.

Dilbag Singh, Director General of Police has said that the incident was "extremely unfortunate" and said that they had launched a manhunt to nab the domestic help, who has been identified as Yasir Ahmed and is absconding.

Giving details to PTI, Singh shared that the suspect had even tried to set ablaze the corpse of 57-year old Lohia, who was appointed and promoted as DG (Prisons) in Jammu and Kashmir in August.

Mukesh Singh, Additional Director of Police, Jammu Zone also visited Lohia's house located in the outskirts of Jammu at Udaiwala. He shared that the 1992-batch IPS officer was dicovered dead on Monday night, with his throat slit and burn injuries on his body.

When the crime scene underwent preliminary examination, it appeared that Lohia was applying some oil on his feet as it was swollen. The murderer suffocated him to death and slit his throat using a broken ketchup bottle. He later tried to burn his body on fire.

The ADGP said that the guards present at the officer's house saw fire inside his room. They had to break the door open because it was locked from the inside. He asserted the the preliminary investigation of the crime scene indicated murder.

The police officer said that the domestic help is absconding and a search for him has begun. The crime and forensic teams have inspected the spot.