Asaram Bapu rape case witness killing: Security given to deceased's family

Muzaffarnagar: Security has been provided to the family of Akhil Gupta, a witness in the rape case against Asaram Bapu in Surat, who was shot dead on 11 January by two assailants in Muzaffarnagar, police said on Tuesday.

Three police teams, led by SP (City) Sarvan Kumar have been formed to apprehend the two assailants, who killed Gupta last Sunday.

Police has not yet succeeded in tracing out the two accused on the third day of the Asaram witness killing case here, they said.

Meanwhile, security has been provided to the family of deceased Akhil Gupta, police said, adding that it was earlier not provided to Gupta as he had not demanded it.

Yesterday, Akhil’s cousin Ashish Gupta has lodged an FIR against two unidentified persons in Muzaffarnagar.

Police is investigating various angles including whether the murder was linked to Asaram’s case or it was a fallout of old enmity, officials said.

Akhil was returning home from his shop on a scooter when the two motorcycle-borne assailant shot at him. He was declared dead in district hospital on Sunday evening.

Gupta was a cook and personal aide of self-styled ‘Godman’ Asaram, who is in jail since September 2013 in connection with another case of sexual assault on a minor girl in Jodhpur.

Two sisters in Surat have accused Asaram and his son Narayan Sai of raping them. Gupta was a witness in the rape case against Asaram and had recorded his statement before a Gandhinagar court.

PTI