The maternal uncle of Dr Kafeel Khan was shot dead by unidentified men in Uttar Pradesh’s Gorakhpur late on Saturday, February 22, police said.
Fifty-five-year-old Nusrutullah Warsi died on the spot after being shot in the head from point-blank range in the Bankatichak area of the city, reportedHindustan Times.
According to the police, a property dispute is suspected to be the reason for the heinous crime. An FIR has been registered and the police have formed teams to nab the culprits.
“Prima facie, property dispute seems to be the reason behind the murder. Following a complaint by family members, we have formed three teams to arrest the culprits. Soon, the case will be worked out,” Sunil Gupta, Gorakhpur’s senior superintendent of police was quoted by the media.
Warsi owned several pieces of land in Gorakhpur and outside, and was involved in fighting several cases on illegal possession on these lands. As per reports, Warsi was returning home from a neighbour’s place after playing carroms at around 11 pm, when the attack happened. When Warsi reached a mausoleum near his home, the awaiting assailant met him and started talking. As both entered Warsi’s home, the assailant took out his pistol, shot Warsi in his head and fled.
Dr Kafeel Khan, first came in the news in 2017, after 60 children affected with Encephalitis admitted in the Baba Raghav Das Medical College in Gorakhpur died due to disruption in oxygen supply over unpaid bills.
Back then, he was arrested for alleged dereliction of his duties in the Encephalitis ward and for running a private practice. Last year, however, he was acquitted of all the charges by the court.
This is not the first attack on him or his family. In June 2018, Dr Khan’s youngest brother Kashif Jameel was shot at over a property dispute. While Dr Khan had then accused Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP’s) lawmaker Kamlesh Paswan of the attack, the MP dismissed the charges.
In September 2018, Dr Khan was arrested for allegedly creating ruckus at the district hospital. While he was later granted bail, just a day after, Dr Khan with his brother, Adeel Ahmed Khan was again arrested in an alleged nine-year-old bank fraud case.
On January 29 this year, Dr Khan was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) from Mumbai airport for allegedly making instigating remarks at the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU).
Dr Khan had addressed a protest against CAA, NPR and NRC in Bihar and was on his way to attend an anti-CAA protest in Mumbai when he was taken into custody from the Mumbai airport.
Later, on February 14, he was charged under the draconian National Security Act (NSA) as he was awaiting his release from jail despite getting bail on February 10.