Hindutva leader Kamlesh Tiwari was killed in Lucknow on Friday, Dainik Bhaskar reported. Tiwari, who claimed to be a leader of the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha, was taken to a local hospital in a critical condition, where he succumbed to his injuries.

Tiwari was attacked inside his office in Khurshidbagh area in Lucknow, The Times of India reported. Two of the assailants had tea at his office, then slit his throat. They also took out a pistol from a box of sweets and shot him, according to reports.

The Lucknow Police have registered a first information report against two Muslim religious leaders from Bijnor district on the basis of a complaint by Tiwari’s wife, ANI reported. She alleged that two men had threatened to kill her husband in 2016. BJP Mahila Morcha’s national social media head Priti Gandhi identified the men as Mohammad Mufti Nayim Kazmi and Imam Maulana Anwar-ul-Hak. She also uploaded an image of the complaint letter.

The police are using mobile phone call details and surveillance equipment to trace the killers.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Vikas Chandra Tripathi said initial investigation showed that Tiwari knew the attackers, Hindustan Times reported. One of the assailants was wearing a saffron-coloured kurta, added the police officer.

Tiwari was a controversial figure, and was arrested in 2015 for allegedly making offensive remarks about Prophet Muhammad. The National Security Act was invoked against him. In January 2016, the Uttar Pradesh government passed an order putting Tiwari in detention for a year.

The Hindutva leader had also been provided security since the incident. On Friday, his security guards were on a different floor of the office when the incident occurred.

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