UDAIPUR/JAIPUR: Two assailants masquerading as customers entered a shop in Rajasthan’s Udaipur on Tuesday and beheaded a tailor for a social media post supporting ex-BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma in the row over her remarks on the Prophet, Times Of India reported.
A video, purportedly of the last moments of 40-year-old Kanhaiya Lal, went viral along with another clip in which the duo, holding cleavers, owned up to the beheading and also threatened PM Narendra Modi. Police soon traced suspects Mohammad Riyaz Akhtari and Gaus Mohammad in Rajsamand district, 61km from Udaipur.
Curfew imposed in 7 police station areas in Udaipur after beheading
News and video clips of the killing of a tailor here, purportedly because he supported suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma’s remarks about Prophet Muhammad, went viral on Tuesday, leading to violence in parts of the city as angry mobs demanding the immediate arrest of the murderers forced shops and businesses to close, burnt tyres and motorcycles and pelted stones at a place of worship.
Prohibitory orders under CrPC Section 144 have been put in force across Rajasthan for a month and mobile internet services have been cut all over the state for next 24 hours. Indefinite curfew has been imposed in seven police station areas in Udaipur – Dhan Mandi, Ghantaghar, Ambamata, Surajpole, Bhupalpura, Hathipole and Savina.
Immediately after the murder, Udaipur SP Manoj Kumar and district collector Tarachand Meena tried to convince the victim’s relatives and others to shift the body to a mortuary. Despite several rounds of discussions, the crowd didn’t allow the police to take away the body till about 10 pm and demanded compensation and a government job for the 19-year-old son of the deceased.
Crowds gathered outside Hathipole and Maldas Street and clashed with police. Seven people were injured when stones were thrown at a place of worship. Additional police personnel have been deployed in various areas of the city. Later in the evening, police detained the two accused from Bhim area in Rajsamand. They were identified as Gaus Mohammed and Riyaz, both residents of Udaipur city’s Surajpole area.
