Rajasthan bandh today against Karni Sena chief's murder at home
Supporters of Shri Rashtriya Rajput Karni Sena (SRRKS) President Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi have called for a Rajasthan bandh (shutdown) on Wednesday to protest against his killing. He was reportedly shot dead by three unidentified gunmen in Rajasthan's Jaipur on Tuesday. Later, Rohit Godara—associated with the notorious Lawrence Bishnoi gang—claimed responsibility for the murder in a Facebook post.
Why does this story matter?
Gogamedi was killed months after receiving threats from Sampat Nehra of the Bishnoi gang. The SRRKS alleged in August that a plot was being planned against it after its Rajasthan leader, Bhanwar Singh Saladiya, was shot at in Udaipur by a former member. Local Karni Sena functionary Mohit Patel was found dead in his car with bullet wounds in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, in June.
Protest in parts of Rajasthan against murder
Soon after Gogamedi's murder, his supporters took to the streets in Jaipur, Churu, Udaipur, Alwar, and Jodhpur districts to protest against the incident. They reportedly blocked the Shipra Path road outside the hospital, demanding that the culprits be arrested immediately. Meanwhile, Rajasthan Director General of Police (DGP) Umesh Mishra appealed for calm, saying that raids were being conducted on the accused's suspected hideouts.
Watch: Karni Sena members block Agra Road Highway
Know about the incident
Gogamedi was reportedly shot dead by three men who were sitting with him in his living room. While doctors declared him "brought dead," two of his associates remained in critical condition. One of the attackers was also killed by Gogamedi's aides. The murder triggered protests in Rajasthan amid a regime shift as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won the recently concluded assembly elections.
Know about Gogamedi's Karni Sena
Gogamedi formed the SRRKS in 2015 after he was expelled from the Shri Rajput Karni Sena (SRKS), then led by Lokendra Singh Kalvi. Both the outfits had protested against the 2018 movie Padmaavat for allegedly distorting historical facts about the Rajput community. Moreover, the SRRKS has been pressing for increasing the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) quota to 14% in Rajasthan.
