Rajput leader's killing: Protest held in parts of Rajasthan, SIT formed to nab accused
Jaipur (PTI): Markets remained closed in Jaipur and some other districts of Rajasthan on Wednesday after a bandh call by the Rashtriya Rajput Karni Sena to protest the killing of its chief Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi.
Director General of Police Umesh Mishra formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT), to be headed by Additional Director General (Crime) Dinesh MN, to probe the killing while a cash reward of Rs 5 lakh for information leading to the arrest of the two accused was also announced.
The Rajasthan Police also carried out searches to nab the two accused who allegedly killed Gogamedi for "backing" the enemies of gangster Rohit Godara -- said to be linked to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang -- who has taken responsibility for the murder in a Facebook post.
Gogamedi was shot dead in the living room of his house here on Tuesday.
Markets remained closed in Jaipur, Bundi, Ajmer, Sawai Madhopur, Chittorgarh and some other districts while a mass rally was taken out in Udaipur and a demonstration was held at the collectorate circle amid heavy deployment of police.
The supporters of Gogamedi had given a Jaipur bandh call and gathered in the Khatipura area in the morning from where they moved to other parts of the city asking shopkeepers to shut their establishments.
There was no movement of public transport in the capital city and the services of roadways buses were also affected, officials said.
Khatipura road in Jaipur was blocked while Rajput community members in large numbers were sitting outside the Metro Mass Hospital in the Mansarovar area where Gogamedi's body is kept.
Similar protests took place in Jodhpur and Udaipur as well but remained peaceful. The effects of the bandh call were seen in other districts too as people refrained from venturing out.
Governor Kalraj Mishra summoned Chief Secretary Usha Sharma, DGP Mishra, Jaipur Police Commissioner Biju George Joseph and other officials to review the situation.
The governor told the officials to ensure that those behind the killing are arrested soon and asked them to stay alert while asserting that no laxity at any level will be tolerated, according to a Raj Bhawan spokesperson.
Earlier, Joseph told PTI that the accused who shot dead Gogamedi as well as Naveen Singh Shekhawat, who accompanied them to the Rajput leader's residence on Tuesday, have been identified and efforts are being made to trace them.
"One of the accused is from Haryana and the other from Rajasthan," he said.
Joseph said the accused secured access to Gogamedi's house through Shekhawat.
It is a matter of investigation whether Shekhawat, who used to run a cloth shop, was aware of the intentions of the two accused, he said.
The chief secretary informed the governor in the meeting that the situation is being monitored by district collectors.
Mahipal Singh Makrana, national president of Shri Rajput Karni Sena, demanded the removal of the state police chief for failing to provide security to Gogamedi.
"There was intelligence input about the murder of Sukhdev Gogamedi from Punjab Police but the Rajasthan Police did not provide him security. This is a clear failure of the police. The DG should be removed and action must be taken against the negligent police officials," he told PTI.
Makrana said there is huge resentment in the Rajput community which will be forced to hold protests across the country if the accused are not caught soon.
He said that not only the Rajput community but the 'Sarv Samaj' is agitated over the incident.
Gogamedi's supporters have demanded compensation of Rs 11 crore for the family of the slain leader.
"The incident makes it clear that there is 'Jungle Raj' (law of jungle) in Rajasthan. The accused should be killed in an encounter," one of the protesters said.
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Deep societal faultlines persist despite 75 years of independence: Justice Ujjal Bhuyan
Judge cites denial of home to Muslim girl, opposition to Dalit women cooking mid-day meals
Hyderabad, February 23, 2026: Supreme Court judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan has said that despite repeated affirmations of constitutional morality by courts, deep societal faultlines rooted in caste and religious discrimination continue to shape everyday realities in India.
Speaking at a seminar on “Constitutional Morality and the Role of District Judiciary” organised by the Telangana Judges Association and the Telangana State Judicial Academy in Hyderabad, Justice Bhuyan reflected on the gap between constitutional ideals and social practices.
He cited a recent instance involving his daughter’s friend, a PhD scholar at a private university in Noida, who was denied accommodation in South Delhi after her surname revealed her Muslim identity. According to Justice Bhuyan, the landlady bluntly informed her that no accommodation was available once her religious background became known.
In another example from Odisha, he referred to resistance by some parents to the government’s mid-day meal programme because the food was prepared by Dalit women employed as cooks. He noted that some parents had objected aggressively and refused to allow their children to consume meals cooked by members of the Scheduled Caste community.
Describing these incidents as “the tip of the iceberg,” Justice Bhuyan said they reveal how far society remains from the benchmark of constitutional morality even 75 years into the Republic. He observed that while the Constitution lays down standards of equality and dignity, the morality practised within homes and communities often diverges sharply from those values.
He emphasised that constitutional morality requires governance through the rule of law rather than the rule of popular opinion. Referring to the evolution of the doctrine through judicial decisions, he cited Naz Foundation v Union of India, in which the Delhi High Court read down Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, holding that popular morality cannot restrict fundamental rights under Article 21. Though the judgment was later overturned in Suresh Kumar Koushal v Naz Foundation, the Supreme Court ultimately restored and expanded the principle in Navtej Singh Johar v Union of India, affirming that constitutional morality must prevail over majoritarian views.
“In our constitutional scheme, it is the constitutionality of the issue before the court that is relevant, not the dominant or popular view,” he said.
Justice Bhuyan also addressed the functioning of the district judiciary, underlining that trial courts are the first point of contact for most litigants and form the foundation of the justice delivery system. He stressed that due importance must be given to the recording of evidence and adjudication of bail matters.
Highlighting the role of High Courts, he said their supervisory jurisdiction under Article 227 of the Constitution is intended as a shield to correct grave jurisdictional errors, not as a mechanism to substitute the discretion or factual appreciation of trial judges.
He recalled that several distinguished judges, including Justice H R Khanna, Justice A M Ahmadi, and Justice Fathima Beevi, began their careers in the district judiciary.
On representation within the judicial system, Justice Bhuyan noted that Telangana has made significant strides in gender inclusion. Out of a sanctioned strength of 655 judicial officers in the Telangana Judicial Service, 478 are currently serving, of whom 283 are women, exceeding 50 per cent representation. He added that members of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, minority communities, and persons with disabilities are also represented in the state’s judiciary.
He observed that greater representation of women, marginalised communities, persons with disabilities, and sexual minorities would help make the judiciary more inclusive and reflective of India’s diversity. “The judiciary must represent all the colours of the rainbow and become a rainbow institution,” he said.
Justice Bhuyan also referred to the recent restoration by the Supreme Court of the requirement of a minimum three years of practice at the Bar for entry-level judicial posts. While acknowledging that the requirement ensures practical exposure, he cautioned that its impact on women aspirants, especially those from rural or small-town backgrounds facing social and financial constraints, would need to be carefully observed over time.
Concluding his address, he reiterated that the justice system must strive to bridge the gap between constitutional ideals and lived realities, ensuring that the rule of law remains paramount.
