Salooni murder case: Himachal CM accuses BJP of politicizing issue

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], June 18 : Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Saturday expressed his displeasure over the protests by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) regarding the Salooni murder case in district Chamba.

He said that this case was the first case of its kind in the country where all the accused had been apprehended and were currently in police custody.

Despite swift action taken by the police, the furore being created by the BJP continues, which is uncalled for and unjustified.

He was briefing the media here today in this regard.

The Chief Minister said that all the accused involved in this murder were arrested within 24 hours. He said that the BJP's persistence in protesting despite the arrests and the government's acceptance of their demand for an inquiry by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) seems illogical.

He further said that the BJP, being the ruling party at the Centre, could easily initiate an NIA investigation by a mere phone call from the Leader of Opposition, Jai Ram Thakur. "However, the BJP is exploiting the situation for political gain, with an eye on the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections," he added.

The Chief Minister said that despite arrests of all involved in the case, the BJP's youth wing, Yuva Morcha, after five days of the incident has set ablaze the houses of the accused.

"Despite assurance to the people given time and again by me that all persons involved in the murder case would be brought to justice, it is beyond the perception why such protests were being held despite arrests made, which seems that the BJP was doing dirty politics," he said.

Emphasizing the shared responsibility of the government and the opposition to protect the rights of the state, the Chief Minister asked the Bharatiya Janata Party to collaborate on issues such as water cess and enhancing royalty in various hydropower projects, ensuring that the state receives its due rights.

Tension unfolded in the Salooni town of Chamba district on Thursday when a mob torched the house of a man, who has been accused of killing 28-year-old Manohar over an affair with his niece and chopping his body into pieces.