Jaipur: The brutal murder of a 22-year-old man in Paldi Meena suburb, around 10 km from Jaipur, escalated into widespread protests and unrest, disrupting traffic movement for hours on Jaipur-Agra national highway Monday.The victim, Vipin Kumar, was stabbed around 14 times, allegedly by Mohammad Anas and his associates, late Sunday night in full public view, police said. The protest was finally withdrawn Monday evening after the family’s demands for financial compensation, job guarantee and speedy justice were accepted by the administration.Anas, described by police as a “history-sheeter” with over a dozen criminal cases against him in Jaipur Commissionerate’s Jamdoli police station, allegedly posted on social media claiming “revenge” after the attack.The murder sparked outrage, with large crowds gathering Monday morning to protest the killing. Demonstrators attempted multiple road blockades on the national highway, while some protesters targeted and damaged shops allegedly belonging to members of a particular community.Police took swift action and detained accused Mohammad Anas and his five accomplices in the afternoon. During the arrest, Anas allegedly attempted to seize an ASI’s service pistol, forcing the police to shoot him in the leg. He was subsequently taken to a hospital for treatment under police custody.DCP (East) Tejaswani Gautam said the motive behind the murder remains under investigation. However, local sources pointed to an ongoing dispute between the victim and the accused spanning two years, despite previous attempts at mediation.Enraged residents claimed Anas had previously threatened multiple families in the area, including Kumar’s. “Anas had been arrested before. Police even paraded him in public, but he only grew bolder,” said Sunil Khatik, a local resident.The victim’s family demanded compensation, including employment guarantee and financial assistance, as they refused to proceed with the postmortem until their demands were met.As family members and locals demanded immediate justice, unrest spread, leading to repeated attempts at blocking traffic on the national highway. Police efforts to control the situation resulted in sporadic clashes, with some demonstrators damaging nearby shops before being pushed back.By the evening, while the size of the agitating crowd diminished, the local community remained insistent on compensation, including a job and financial support for Kumar’s family, and the execution of the accused. A large police force, including Rapid Action Force (RAF) and Quick Response Teams (QRT), was deployed throughout the area.
