Two people have been arrested in connection with the brutal murder of a tailor in Udaipur district of Rajasthan, on Tuesday. The man was murdered over social media posts in support of suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma, who is accused of making objectionable remarks against prophet Muhammad.
The murder, carried out in broad daylight, led to communal tension in the area. Prohibitory orders were imposed and internet services were suspended across the state as Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot appealed for calm.
Leaves of police and administration officials have also been cancelled. Chief Secretary Usha Sharma directed all divisional commissioners, inspector generals of police and district collectors to take special vigil across the state.
"A statewide alert has been issued to all SPs and IGs to increase the mobility of forces and to maintain officers on the ground. We are assessing the law and order situation to take further decisions," ADG (L&O) told news agency ANI.
Two ADGPs from Jaipur, one more SP and 600 additional police force have been sent to Udaipur, he said.
The accused had recorded the incident and posted videos online admitting to the crime and issuing a warning to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In a video clip, one of the assailants declared that they had beheaded the man and then threatened Modi, saying their knife will get him as well.
Indirectly, the assailants referred to Nupur Sharma.
The accused were detained from Rajsamand district's Bhim area while trying to flee. Superintendent of Police, Rajsamand, Sudheer Chaudhary said the duo was trying to flee on a motorcycle and were wearing helmets to cover their faces.
"We have confirmed the identity of the accused," Chaudhary said
Kanhaiya Lal, the tailor, was recently arrested by the local police over some remarks made on social media.
The assailants entered his shop in the city's Dhan Mandi area, posing as customers. As the tailor took the measurements, one of them—who later identified himself as Riaz—attacked him with a cleaver. The other man shot the brutal murder with his mobile phone.
CM Gehlot appealed to people to maintain peace and asked them not to share the videos. He said there is communal tension in the country and the prime minister should address the people. "It is more impactful if the prime minister speaks. I believe that the prime minister should address the country on this occasion and should make an appeal that we will not tolerate violence at any cost. What is the problem in saying so?"
BJP state chief Satish Poonia targeted the Congress government in Rajasthan, saying the murder was the result of its appeasement policy. "The situation in Rajasthan is such that Hindus are being attacked and murdered at many places. It is because of the politics of appeasement of CM Ashok Gehlot," Poonia told reporters.
The murder attracted widespread condemnation. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, "Brutality in the name of religion cannot be tolerated."
"I am deeply shocked by the heinous murder in Udaipur. Brutality in the name of religion cannot be tolerated. Those who spread terror due to this cruelty should be punished immediately. We all have to defeat hate together. I appeal to all, please maintain peace and brotherhood," he said in a tweet in Hindi.
“No words can be enough to condemn the incident that took place in Udaipur. The culprits should be given the strictest possible punishment. Attempts to spread hatred and violence in the name of religion are fatal to our country,” tweeted Priyanka Gandhi.
"The Udaipur incident is very horrifying and gruesome. Such dastardly acts have no place in a civilised society. We condemn this in the strongest terms. The perpetrators of this crime should be given strict punishment," Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said in a tweet in Hindi.
—With PTI inputs
