On Monday, 4th of July, Amravati Police Commissioner Arti SIngh dismissed reports that police were trying a ‘cover-up’ in the murder case of Umesh Kolhe. On the night of 22nd June 2022, Chemist Umesh Kolhe was killed by some Islamists in Amravati of Maharashtra for allegedly sharing a social media post supporting former Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Nupur Sharma.
Speaking to ANI, the Commissioner said that they did not issue an official statement earlier as it was a blind and sensitive case for them. However, she denied reports that there was any attempt to cover up the nature of the crime.
Commissioner Arti Singh also denied media reports that police had tried to make it a case of theft and robbery initially. Commissioner Singh said that the initial FIR has no mention of theft or robbery and only the suspects were named in it. Since it was a blind case for them, they did not add any further details before investigating the case.
She also argued that if police had tried to cover up, then the subsequent details about the case won’t have emerged. She said that even BJP Rajya Sabha MP met her regarding the case and saw all the details and the progress police were making in the investigation. However, she said that she knows who is making allegations of a cover-up against the police. Amravati MP Navneet Rana had raised questions about the initial police investigation in recent days.
Umesh Kolhe murder case in Amravati
On the night of the murder, on June 22, Umesh Kolhe was on his way home with his son Sanket and daughter-in-law Vaishnavi on different bikes, when the culprits stopped him and then slit his throat using a Chinese knife. In the attack, Kolhe was attacked with a knife from the back of his neck and he was seriously injured. With heavy blood overflowing, Kolhe died on the spot.
As per the investigation, Kolhe’s old friend Dr. Yusuf Khan had instigated his murder over some whatsapp messages shared by Kolhe.