Protests Rock Rajasthan Over Rajput Leader Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi's Murder

Rashtriya Rajput Karni Sena chief Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi was shot to death at his Jaipur residence on Tuesday.

The supporters of Rajput leader Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi burn tyres on Wednesday, 6 December, a day after he was shot dead at his Jaipur residence. 

(Photo: PTI)

Video Producers: Mayank Chawla, Divya Uppal

Video Editor: Prashant Chauhan

Disturbances were reported from various parts of Rajasthan on Wednesday, 6 December, as supporters of slain Rajput leader Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi called for a bandh across the state in protest against the killing.

The murder has sparked protests in several parts of the state, including Jaipur, Udaipur, Alwar, Churu, and Jodhpur districts.

Protesters were seen blocking highways and torching vehicles. A purported video also showed members of the Rashtriya Rajput Karni Sena stopping a train in Bhilwara.

(Photo: PTI)

(Photo: PTI)

Gogamedi, who was the president of the Rashtriya Rajput Karni Sena, was shot to death on Tuesday, 5 December, by three men who had been socialising with him in his living room. Gangster Rohit Godara, an associate of criminal kingpins Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar, has claimed responsibility for the murder through a purported Facebook post.

Meanwhile, Additional Director General of Police (Crime) Dinesh MN has reached Jaipur to take stock of the situation. According to officials, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) will also be formed to investigate Gogamedi's killing.

The Murder

Gogamedi's killers are said to have entered his house in Jaipur's Shyam Nagar area pretending to be common people who wanted to meet him. They even had tea at his residence before they shot him.

"Three men went to Gogamedi's house and told his security guards that they wanted to meet him. The guards took them inside and the men talked to Gogamedi for 10 minutes before opening fire at him," Jaipur Police Commissioner Biju George Joseph told reporters.

While one of the assailants, who was identified as Naveen Singh Shekhawat, died in the exchange of fire, the remaining two managed to flee on a scooty they snatched from a person outside Gogamedi's house, he said.

The other two assailants have been identified as Rohit Rathore Makrana of Jaipur and Nitin Fauji from Haryana, Hindustan Times reported. “The two used a neighbour of Gogamedi, Naveen Singh Shekhawat, to get access to the SRRKS chief’s premises,” Jaipur (South) Deputy Commissioner of Police Yogesh Goyal was quoted as saying by the report.

CCTV images revealed that Gogamedi was shot multiple times.

Who Was Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi? 

Gogamedi had been associated with the Karni Sena since 2013. However, he was expelled in 2015 over alleged differences with founder Lokendra Singh Kalvi.

Gogamedi hit the headlines in 2017 when he led the protests against Sanjay Leela Bhansali's film Padmaavat, alleging that it had hurt Rajput sentiments.

His associates claimed that he had been receiving threats from gangsters for some years now.