Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (Prisons) Hemant Lohia was killed at his residence here and police suspect his domestic help. Director General of Police Dilbag Singh described it as a “very unfortunate” incident and said a search operation has been launched to nab the domestic help named Jasir, who is absconding.

The suspect also tried to set the body of 57-year-old Lohia on fire, Singh said.

Lohia was promoted and appointed as director general of prisons of the Union Territory in August.

Lohia (52), a 1992-batch IPS officer, was found dead at his Udaywala residence on the outskirts of the city with his throat slit and burn marks on his body, Additional Director General of Police (Jammu region) Mukesh Singh said.

The police chief said preliminary investigations at the spot indicated that Lohia might have applied some oil to his leg which showed some swelling. He said the killer first strangled Lohia to death and then used a broken bottle of ketchup to slit his throat and later tried to set the body on fire.

He said security personnel present at the officer’s residence noticed the fire inside Lohia’s room and broke it as the door was locked from inside.

The Additional Director General of Police said a preliminary investigation into the spot was pointing to murder.

“The domestic help is absconding. A search has been launched for him,” he said, adding that forensic and crime teams are at the spot.

He said the Jammu and Kashmir Police family expresses deep grief over the death of their senior officer.

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