A religious leader hailing from the Muslim community was shot dead by a group of four unidentified persons in Yeola town of Maharashtra's Nashik district on Tuesday, said police, as reported by news agency PTI. The 35-year-old religious leader was a citizen of Afghanistan, according to the initial investigation by the police.
The motive behind the murder of Khwaja Sayyad Chishti, popularly known as 'Sufi Baba' is yet to be ascertained, said an official as reported by PTI.
The incident took place in the evening at an open plot in the MIDC area of Yeola town, around 200 km from Mumbai. He was shot with a firearm in the forehead by the attackers, following which he died on the spot. After carrying out the incident, the assailants seized the SUV in which he was travelling and fled.
An offence of murder was registered at the Yeola police station and a hunt was on to nab the killers, said an official, as reported by PTI.
Ajmer Cleric Arrested
Meanwhile, Ajmer Police arrested a cleric of the Ajmer dargah Tuesday for allegedly making a video in which he speaks of giving his house to anyone who beheads suspended BJP spokesperson Numpur Sharma for her controversial remarks against Prophet Mohammad.
"You have to give a reply to all Muslim countries. I am saying this from Ajmer, Rajasthan, and this message is from Huzur Khwaja Baba ka darbar," he purportedly says in the video, referring to the Sufi shrine that sees many Hindu visitors, apart from Muslim devotees.
The police said that accused 'khadim' Salman Chisti is a "history-sheeter" and that he might have recorded the video in an inebriated condition, reported PTI. The Ajmer police had registered an FIR against him on Monday night.
(With PTI inputs)