Hindu Samaj Party Supremo Kamlesh Tiwari has been killed in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh on Friday by assailants who spent more than half an hour with him before killing him. "Before killing Hindu Mahasabha leader Kamlesh Tiwari, the alleged murderers spent around 30 minutes with him at his home in the Naka area of Lucknow," Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) OP Singh said on Friday.

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'The assailants were known to him'

The police said that the 45-year-old was rushed to a hospital's trauma center with severe injuries where he died during treatment. "The accused are said to be known to him. They brought sweets for him and even spent around half an hour with him. We have found vital clues and investigation in the matter is underway," Singh told ANI.

"Kamlesh Tiwari was found murdered inside his house. Two persons had come to meet him. Both were speaking to Tiwari when the latter sent one of his aides to get 'paan' for them," said Additional Superintendent of Police (Lucknow West) Vikas Tripathi. "When his aide returned from the market, he found Tiwari in a pool of blood," Tripathi added.

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Cause of death unclear

Initial reports suggested that Tiwari's death was caused by a gunshot. However, the doctors have reportedly said that his throat had been slit with a sharp weapon. Tiwari, a former Hindu Mahasabha leader, had formed the Hindu Samaj Party in January 2017. He had earlier served as the president of the Hindu Mahasabha and was known to make controversial religious statements, one of them being a controversial remark over Prophet Muhammad for which he was arrested under the National Security Act.

Police said they have recovered important clues through the CCTV camera and will catch the killers soon. A weapon was recovered from the spot, even as police have formed 10 teams to investigate the case.

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Fourth murder of a right-wing leader this month

BJP leader Chaudhary Yashpal Singh was shot in Deoband on October 8. Similarly, on October 10, another BJP leader who was also a former student leader, Kabir Tiwari, was shot dead in Basti which led to student groups going on a rampage and burning down government vehicles. On October 13, BJP Corporator Dhara Singh, 47, was gunned down by unidentified assailants in Deoband in Saharanpur, followed by Kamlesh Tiwari's murder.

(With ANI inputs)

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