Raj LoP questions state govt after prisoner shot dead on way to Jaipur jail

Jaipur, Aug 12 (IANS) Rajasthan Leader of Opposition (LoP) Tika Ram Jully on Wednesday questioned the state government over the killing of a prisoner who was shot dead while being transported to the Jaipur jail, raising serious concerns over the security of inmates in police custody and the overall law and order situation in the state.

A 45-year-old prisoner lodged at the Sanganer Open Jail was shot dead in Jaipur on Wednesday evening while he was travelling back to the jail from his home.

The incident took place on Wednesday evening in the Janaki Vihar area of Dhabas under Karni Vihar police station limits.

The deceased, identified as Gangasahay Kumawat (45), was riding a motorcycle when two masked men allegedly approached him and opened fire.

The attackers reportedly fired three round of fire, one of which struck Gangasahay in the head following which he died at the spot.

According to Jaipur West Deputy Commissioner of Police Prashant Kiran, the assailants fled after the shooting.

After receiving information from local residents, police teams from Karni Vihar, Bhankrota and Chitrakoot police stations reached the spot.

A large mob gathered following the incident, while police teams collected evidence from the spot and began investigating the circumstances surrounding the killing.

Police said Gangasahay was serving a jail sentence in connection with a 2018 murder case.

According to the investigation, Gangasahay had been convicted for the murder of Mahendra Gurjar, a history-sheeter from the Moti Dungri area. He was subsequently lodged at Sanganer Open Jail.

He had reportedly gone to his home in Dhabas and was returning to the open jail when he was attacked.

Reacting to the incident, LoP Jully criticised the state government and raised questions over law and order in Jaipur.

Calling Jaipur the capital “under the shadow of fear and terror”, Tika Ram Jully said that two masked men riding a motorcycle shot a man in broad daylight in Dhabas and fired three rounds.

“The gunfire from brazen criminals in the capital signals that the writ of the law has eroded and the safety of the common people is left to the mercy of God,” LoP Jully said.

He questioned the Rajasthan government over the deteriorating law and order situation and asked, “Chief Minister (referring to Bhajan Lal Sharma), for how long must Rajasthan continue to live under the shadow of fear?”

According to a complaint filed by Dharmendra Gurjar, a resident of Shastri Nagar, on April 25, 2018, his elder brother Mahendra Gurjar, who lived in Moti Dungri and also owned a house in Ekta Nagar at Dhabas had gone to the property on his motorcycle on April 23.

Dharmendra said that he was later informed by an acquaintance Babu Gurjar and local residents that Gangasahay, who owned Balaji Electricals, had attacked Mahendra during an argument.

Mahendra died following the assault, according to the complaint.

Gangasahay was subsequently convicted in the case and was serving his jail sentence at the Sanganer Open Jail.

The broad daylight shooting has raised questions about the motive behind the attack.

Police are investigating whether the killing was connected to the earlier murder case or stemmed from another dispute.

Multiple police teams are working to identify and trace the two attackers.

Investigators are also examining evidence collected from the crime site and other available leads to establish the sequence of events and determine the motive behind the killing.

–IANS

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