Daijiworld Media Network - Jaipur
Jaipur, Jul 3: Rajasthan Police have taken the prime accused in the murder of former Chambal dacoit Jagan Gurjar into custody through a production warrant, intensifying the investigation into the sensational killing inside Ajmer's high-security jail.
The accused, Vishnu Singh Jat, was brought from Ajmer High-Security Jail to the Civil Lines police station in Jaipur in an armoured vehicle under heavy security, amid concerns over law and order in Dholpur and adjoining districts following the murder.
The transfer was carried out under the supervision of Circle Officer Shivam Joshi, Civil Lines Station House Officer Shambhu Singh Shekhawat and Sub-Inspector Giriraj Sharma, with a large contingent of armed police personnel escorting the accused.
Police are expected to produce Vishnu before a court and seek his custodial remand to question him further about the circumstances leading to the killing.
Investigators are trying to establish the motive behind the murder and determine whether it stemmed from a longstanding personal rivalry, a larger criminal conspiracy or possible lapses and collusion within the prison administration.
Jagan Gurjar was found dead inside his barrack at Ajmer High-Security Jail on June 29. The prison is regarded as one of Rajasthan's most secure correctional facilities.
According to the investigation, Vishnu Jat—who is also an accused in the high-profile Kuldeep Jaghina murder case in Bharatpur—allegedly strangled Gurjar using a towel and a gamchha following an altercation or an old enmity.
The killing sparked widespread concern over prison security and triggered tensions in Gurjar-dominated areas of Dholpur district.
Police allege that after the murder, Vishnu attempted to make the crime appear to be a suicide by hanging Gurjar's body from a ceiling fan, approximately 13 feet above the ground, using the same gamchha.
However, investigators said the crime scene examination and post-mortem findings indicated that the victim had died due to strangulation rather than hanging, leading police to treat the case as murder.
The probe has also uncovered an alleged attempt to destroy evidence. According to investigators, Vishnu smeared toothpaste over the CCTV camera installed inside the barrack before carrying out the attack, preventing the incident from being captured on video and hampering the initial investigation.
The case has also raised serious questions about security arrangements inside the high-security prison.
Officials said both Vishnu Jat and Jagan Gurjar had been classified as high-risk inmates and were supposed to be housed in separate barracks under strict security protocols.
Investigators are now examining how Vishnu allegedly managed to leave his designated cell and gain access to Gurjar's barrack despite the stringent security measures in place at the prison.