The sister of inspector Subodh Kumar Singh, who was killed in Monday’s violence here, has alleged that he was murdered as part of a conspiracy, which included police, because of his investigation of the lynching of Mohammad Akhlaque.

“There was a big conspiracy to eliminate him and the police are also behind it. My brother had investigated the lynching of Mohammad Akhlaque in Dadri and this is the main motive behind his cold-blooded murder,” Renu Singh, Subodh’s elder sister, said on Tuesday.

Subodh, 46, had initially probed the lynching of Akhlaque in 2015 near Delhi — on the unsubstantiated suspicion of keeping beef in his

refrigerator — before the case was handed over to another officer in November that year.

Renu lashed out at Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, saying he only keeps chanting “cow, cow, cow” even when the law and order situation has deteriorated in the state.

Yusuf Saifi, counsel for Akhlaque’s family, said Subodh’s death was a big blow to the lynching case.

“He was the first investigating officer and had reached the spot on the day of Akhlaque’s killing. He was the one who had sent the meat sample seized from Akhlaque’s house to the lab, which later said it was goat meat,” Saifi said.

Subodh had also taken to hospital Akhlaque’s son Danish, who was critically injured after being assaulted by villagers.

“He was the prime prosecution witness and his deposition during the trial would have been very important in prosecuting the accused persons,” Saifi said.

The trial is yet to begin. The police have filed the chargesheet but the charges are yet to be framed, which will be done by the judge/judges. All the accused persons are out on bail.

“I fear his killing might scare other witnesses. I think his untimely death will be big blow to the case,” the lawyer said. “Who will dare to depose against the accused as even the police are not safe in Adityanath’s regime?”

Saifi said Subodh was an upright officer and a secular person. “The family members of the accused (in the Akhlaque case) were unhappy as he had arrested several Hindu youths from the village,” Saifi said.

Abhishek, Subodh’s son, was inconsolable.

“My father wanted me to be a good citizen who does not incite violence in society in the name of religion. Today my father lost his life in this Hindu-Muslim dispute, tomorrow whose father will lose his life?” Abhishek, a college student, asked.

Subodh had joined the force in 1994 after his father, also a policeman, died while still being employed.