Rajasthan Police on Tuesday confirmed the gruesome murder of tailor Kanhaiya Lal at a shop in Udaipur. The incident is considered as an extended repurcussion of the Prophet Muhammad row as, following the murder, the attackers released a video in which they claimed to have avenged the insult of the prophet.
In the video in which they confess the murder, they say "Gustakh-e-Nabi ki ek hi saza, sar tan se juda". It roughly translates to "there is only one punishment to disrespecting the Prophet, beheading".
According to police, the attackers filmed the crime. The two accused reached the victim's shop on Tuesday afternoon under Dhan Mandi police station area. As the tailor took measurements of one of them, the man, who later identified himself as Riaz, attacked him with a cleaver. The other man shot the brutal murder with his mobile phone.
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The brutal murder has garnered massive criticism from several political leaders including AIMIM supremo Asadudiin Owaisi. The All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief on Tuesday condemned the killing of a tailor in Rajasthan's Udaipur district for allegedly insulting Islam.
"I condemn the (Udaipur) incident. Killing someone is not allowed in the law. Nobody can kill others. We will not take law in our hands. This is a crime. But we demand that Nupur Sharma should also be arrested," he said.
Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday condemned the murder of a tailor in Udaipur and said the killers must receive "exemplary punishment".
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Here's a brief account of the key developments that have happened so far.
Centre deploys NIA to probe terror angle
The Home Ministry on Wednesday directed the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to take over the investigation of brutal murder of a tailor in Udaipur and probe involvement of any organisation and international links.
The spokesperson of the MHA said on their twitter handle that "MHA has directed the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to take over the investigation of the brutal murder of Shri Kanhaiya Lal Teli committed at Udaipur, Rajasthan yesterday.
"The involvement of any organisation and international links will be thoroughly investigated."
The Union Home Ministry on Tuesday night dispatched a team of National Investigation Agency (NIA) investigators to Udaipur.
The case is likely to be handed over to the NIA for probe after registration of a case under the stringent anti-terror law Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). Prima facie, it looks like a terror attack, an official said on condition of anonymity.
Rajasthan Police in action
The accused, identifies as Gaus Mohammed and Riyaz Ahmed, have been detained in the case in Rajsamand district's Bhim area, said police. Rajsamand is the neighbouring district of Udaipur.
Rajasthan government on Tuesday imposed prohibitory orders and suspended mobile internet service across the state in view of communal tension following the murder.
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Curfew has been imposed in seven police station areas of Udaipur from 8 pm on Tuesday till further orders after the killing that triggered communal tension in the Rajasthan city.
Udaipur Collector Tarachand Meena issued the order to impose curfew in seven police station areas of Dhan Mandi, Ghanta Ghar, Hathi Pole, Amba Mata, Suraj Pole, Bhupalpura and Savina police stations.
Rajasthan's Chief Secretary Usha Sharma directed officials to suspend mobile internet service across the state for 24 hours and impose section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) in all districts of the state for a month. Section 144 prevents the assembly of more than four people.
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Leaves of police and administration officials have also been cancelled.
Sharma directed all divisional commissioners to block the circulation of the videos of the incident and take action against those found sharing them.
She said an appeal should be made to religious leaders to cooperate in maintaining communal harmony and peace.
The Rajasthan Police also announced a special investigation team (SIT) soon after the arrest of the two men.
ASI suspended for negligence
An assistant sub-inspector (ASI) of Dhan Mandi police station in Udaipur was on Tuesday suspended for negligence following the murder of a tailor there.
Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Hawa Singh Ghumaria said an FIR against Kanhaiya Lal was registered on June 11 for sharing a controversial post on social media and he was arrested.
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On June 15, while he was on bail, he told police that he was receiving threat calls. The local SHO summoned him, the complainant and some people from both the communities to the police station and settled the matter, he said.
After the murder, ASI Bhanwar Lal posted at Dhan Mandi police station has been suspended for negligence at that time, Inspector General of Police, Udaipur, Hinglaj Dan said.
It is alleged that the ASI did not pay heed to the concern raised by Kanhaiya Lal regarding the threat calls that he was receiving, he said.
Accused and his link with Pakistan extremist group
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One of the accused, Gaus Mohammad, worked at a welding shop in Khanjipeer. While Riyaz, who hails from Bhilwara, lived in a rented accommodation in Khanjipeer Udaipur, Ghaus is from Bhima in Rajasmand.
As per media reports, both the accused are associated with Dawat-e-Islami, a Muslim fundamentalist organisation based in Pakistan
Both the accused are currently lodged at the Charbhuja Police station lock-up in the Rajsamand district in Rajasthan.
