Two more key accused arrested in Gujarat by ATS in Kamlesh Tiwari murder case

Two prime suspects accused in the murder of former Hindu Mahasabha chief Kamlesh Tiwari were on Tuesday arrested by the Anti-terrorism squad (ATS) of Gujarat police from the state border near Rajasthan. Earlier, six people were arrested from different parts of the country based on leads provided by the Uttar Pradesh police.

According to the Gujarat police, the two arrested were identified as Ashfaqhussain Jakirhussain Shaikh (34), and Moinuddin Khurshid Pathan (27), both residents of Surat. The duo was held while attempting to escape from Shamlaji near the Gujarat-Rajasthan border.

The joint team by Uttar Pradesh police and Gujarat police were on a lookout for the duo since the day of the incident.

Officials of the Gujarat ATS said that while Shaikh worked as a medical representative, Pathan was a food delivery boy in the state. The two had allegedly entered the state through Nepal.

Kamlesh Tiwari was found brutally murdered on Friday afternoon in his Lucknow residence in Naka Hindola area. He was shot multiple times and also stabbed by unidentified culpret in broad daylight in Lucknow.

The previously arrested include three – Maulana Mohsin Sheikh, Rasheed Ahmed Pathan and Faizan- from Gujarat and two Muslim clerics named by Tiwari’s wife from Bijnor district of Uttar Pradesh. Subsequently, the Maharashtra police arrested Sayyed Asim Ali, sixth accused, from Nagpur based on intel received by the joint team.

As per reports, the suspects were carrying a sweet box for Tiwari on the occasion of Diwali. Although they were stopped by security guards at the door, they gained entry inside on Tiwari’s permission. The miscreants spent over 30 minutes before ultimately stabbing him to death.

Following the murder, Kamlesh Tiwari’s family demanded an NIA probe, blaming negligence by local politicians.

“We want the National Investigation Agency to probe the case. We do not trust anyone. My father was killed although he had security guards. How can we possibly trust the administration then?” Kmlesh’s son Satyam Tiwari said.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also met the family members of Hindu Samaj Party leader after his wife threatened to self immolate if their demands were not met.