A contract killer, involved in an attack on a BHU professor, was arrested after an exchange of fire with police in the Nuaon area of Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi.
The accused, Pramod Kumar alias Ganesh Pasi, sustained a bullet injury to his leg during the encounter on Tuesday night and was admitted to the BHU Trauma Centre for treatment.
During interrogation, Ganesh Pasi made startling revelations about the recent attack on Professor C S Ramachandra Murthy, Head of the Telugu Department at Banaras Hindu University (BHU).
According to police, Pasi confessed to orchestrating and executing the brutal assault on Professor Murthy on July 28. The professor was ambushed near the Birla Hostel intersection while returning home on his bike at around 6.30 PM. Two assailants attacked him with steel rods, resulting in multiple fractures in both his arms. Locals rushed him to the trauma centre, where he has been receiving treatment.
DCP Crime Sarvanan T said the attack was allegedly planned at the behest of another professor from the same department, who was reportedly upset with Professor Murthy over professional disagreements. The disgruntled professor allegedly reached out to a former research scholar from South India, who then contacted his associate, Ganesh Pasi, in Prayagraj. Pasi was asked to hire two henchmen for the job.
On the day of the assault, the two hired attackers were given a bike and stationed near the Birla Hostel intersection. When Professor Murthy arrived, they brutally assaulted him and fled the scene using a highway route.
The incident sparked outrage among students and faculty members. On July 29, protests erupted on campus, with demonstrators blocking the main Singh Dwar gate and demanding the immediate arrest of those responsible. Police had to intervene, and after intense discussions with protestors, they assured strict action and formed three dedicated teams to investigate the case.
During Tuesday night’s routine checking, Pasi tried to evade the police by taking a different route. When stopped, he fired at the police with a country-made pistol. In retaliation, officers shot him in the leg and apprehended him. A firearm was recovered from his possession.
Police are currently working to identify and apprehend the professor who allegedly masterminded the assault. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities have pledged swift and decisive action against all those involved.