Udaipur tailor beheaded for purportedly supporting Nupur Sharma, curfew imposed in several areas
Two men have been arrested, said Rajasthan chief minister.
A tailor was beheaded and his killing was filmed by his assailants in Udaipur’s Maldas street on Tuesday, the police said, PTI reported.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said that two men were detained in Rajsamand city in connection with the murder. “The criminals will be punished severely in court,” Gehlot said in a tweet. “I again appeal to all to maintain peace.”
The tailor, Kanhaiya Lal, had allegedly shared a social media post supporting Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Nupur Sharma, according to ANI. Sharma was suspended on June 5 for making disparaging comments about Prophet Muhammed during a debate on the Times Now television channel.
Lal was attacked by a man with a sharp-edged weapon while the other man recorded the crime, the police said.
A purported video of the killing surfaced on social media. Another clip of two men purportedly claiming responsibility for the killing was also shared online. In the video, the men identified themselves as Mohammed Riyaz Attari and Ghouse Mohammed, brandished swords and claimed that they would also kill Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Rajasthan Police said it has restricted the gathering of four or more persons in several areas of the city, according to the Hindustan Times. The orders were imposed in the Dhanmandi, Ghantaghar, Hathipol, Ambamata, Surajpol, Bhupalpura and Savina areas of Udaipur district.
There were reports of shops being shut in Udaipur and police being alerted to prevent flare-ups. The internet was suspended in the city for 24 hours, according to The Times of India.
Udaipur Collector Tara Chand Meena requested residents to maintain peace, ANI reported. He said that the family of the dead man will receive aid from the government.
Gulab Chand Kataria, the leader of Opposition in Rajasthan, said that the murder could not have possibly been committed by just one man. “It is horrendous and failure of administration,” he added.