Two more persons were arrested for their alleged involvement in the recent brutal killing of Maharashtra chemist Umesh Kolhe, the National Investigation Agency said on Wednesday.
With the latest arrest, a total of nine people have been apprehended in the case so far. The 54-year-old chemist died after being stabbed in the neck around 10pm on June 21 when he was returning home after closing his shop.
Umesh was allegedly murdered for sharing a post on WhatsApp groups in support of former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma for her comments on Prophet Mohammad. Abdul Arbaz and Maulavi Mushfique Ahmed, both residents of Amravati (Maharashtra), were arrested Tuesday in connection with the killing of Kolhe, a spokesperson of the NIA said.
The case was initially registered on June 22 at the Kotwali Police Station in Amravati, Maharashtra. It was later re-registered by the NIA on July 2. Seven accused persons were already arrested in the case for their role in the murder, the NIA said.
The spokesperson said Arbaz and Ahmed are criminal associates of earlier arrested accused persons -- Irfan Shaikh, Shoaib Khan, Mudassir Ahmed, Aatif Rashid, Yusuf Khan, Abdul Toufiq and Shahrukh Pathan and one wanted accused Shamim Ahmed Firoj Ahmed.
Further investigations in the case are in progress, the official said.
