Amravati Horror : Chemist Killed For Backing Nupur Sharma ; NIA In City For Probe; Seven Accused Arrested Says Police

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A team of the National Investigation Agency visited Amravati city in eastern Maharashtra on Saturday for probe into the killing of a chemist after it emerged that the crime might be linked to his social media posts supporting suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma.

The chemist, Umesh Prahladrao Kolhe (54), was killed on June 21, and Maharashtra police have arrested five persons in connection with the incident.

Police have arrested the seventh accused related to the murder incident from Nagpur, Maharashtra, Nilima Araj, Police Inspector, City Kotwali PS, Amravati told ANI

Earlier in the day, a Union home ministry spokesperson tweeted that the probe of the case has been handed over to the NIA.

An NIA team has reached Amravati, said a senior police official in Mumbai.

A team of Anti-Terrorism Squad of state police from Aurangabad is also visiting the city, said an official.

Kolhe’s killing had taken place a week before two men hacked to death a tailor in Rajasthan’s Udaipur before posting videos online saying that they were avenging an insult to Islam.

The NIA is also probing the killing of the Udaipur tailor, Kanhaiya Lal.