Guard of retired cop found dead in Ahmedabad

The personal security guard of VL Solanki, a retired police inspector (PI) who once investigated the Sohrabuddin fake encounter case, was found dead under mysterious circumstances near the residence of the ex-cop near RTO Circle early on Sunday. Primary investigations by police indicate that the security guard may have slipped, while he was peeping into the room of a young couple in the nine-storey apartment.

The guard has been identified as Mukesh Solanki, 29, a Lok Rakshak Dal (LRD) constable, who was found dead at Kavyashilp Apartment, a nine-story residential complex near RTO Circle. Retired PI Solanki owns a penthouse on the ninth floor this building. LRD Mukesh was posted as a security guard of the ex-cop.

According to Ranip police, a resident of the society informed the police control room at around 2am saying a policeman was found lying dead in the foreground of apartment. Soon, cops including Harekrushna Patel, deputy commissioner of police (DCP) zone-II, and Ranip police inspector SK Vala rushed to the spot and identified the deceased. "Prima face, it seems that Mukesh fell off the top story of the building accidentally and died. However, we are waiting for the post-mortem report which will reveal the real cause of his death," police inspector Vala said.  

A team of Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) along with dog squad were also called at the spot, but sources said that they could not get any lead.

DCP Patel also said that the incident was shrouded in mystery. "Primarily, it seems that he slipped and fell to the ground while trying to peep into the adjacent house in which a young couple was sleeping. We will probe different angles in the case to know what exactly happened to Mukesh," Patel said.

VL Solanki said that he was grieved at the loss of his guard but he was in no position to say anything further on the incident. Solanki was posted in Criminal Investigation Department (Crime) as police inspector. He was the first investigative officer in the Sohrabuddin fake encounter case. He had arrested top police officers of Gujarat and Rajasthan police.

Considering the critical nature of the case, state government had provided personal security to Solanki after he retired from services.  Since then, two armed constables have been providing round-the-clock security to the retired cop and Mukesh was part of this setup. Incidentally, the retired PI also owns a tenement near Water Tank in Ranip. Ranip police have registered a case of accidental death and investigating the case.