Karni Sena calls for 'Rajasthan bandh' today after chief Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi's murder

Shri Rashtriya Rajput Karni Sena and other community outfits staged a protest, calling for a state-wide bandh in Rajasthan on Wednesday over the killing of their chief, Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi, on Tuesday. The community is demanding a judicial probe into the matter. A video shared by news agency ANI showed members of the community sitting in protest in Jaipur. Bhawani Singh Kalvi, son of Karni Sena founder Lokendra Singh Kalvi, stated during the protests, "Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi had demanded security. The administration also had letters and proof that something like this could happen to him. There is a big question mark on why security was not provided to him."

Diya Kumari, the newly elected BJP MLA, also commented on Gogamedi's murder, saying, "The murder of Rashtriya Rajput Karni Sena chief Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi in Jaipur is shocking. I don't have words to condemn it. He had demanded security for himself, but the Congress government failed to provide it. I offer my condolence to his family." Gogamedi was shot dead in the living room of his house in Jaipur by three men. One of the assailants was also gunned down by his accomplices, police told news agency PTI.

On Wednesday, the police identified two of the accused who opened fire on Gogamedi. The first accused was identified as Rohit Rathore, a native of Makrana Nagaur. The second accused was identified as Nitin Fouji, a native of Mahendragath, Haryana. In CCTV footage, the attackers were seen pulling out their weapons and firing indiscriminately at Gogamedi, who was sitting on a couch opposite them and eventually fell down. Before fleeing, one of the assailants shot at a motionless Gogamedi lying on the floor from close range. One of Gogamedi's security guards sustained bullet injuries in the exchange of fire with the assailants, who had gone to his house in the Shyam Nagar area on the pretext of meeting him, police said.

Rajasthan Director General of Police (DGP) Umesh Mishra stated that the Rohit Godara gang claimed responsibility for the murder, and searches have been launched to trace the two assailants who managed to flee. Meanwhile, officials said Governor Kalraj Mishra has sought a report from the DGP on the incident. A purported social media post of Rohit Godara, affiliated with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, is going viral online in which he claims to have ordered the killing of Gogamedi, as the Rajput leader was supporting his gang's enemies and was working to strengthen them.

Gogamedi formed Shri Rashtriya Rajput Karni Sena after he was expelled from Sri Rajput Karni Sena in 2015 over differences with its founder Lokendra Singh Kalvi. Both these outfits had protested against Deepika Padukone starrer "Padmaavat" in 2018 over alleged distortion of historical facts about the Rajput community.