A tailor, who had allegedly shared a social media post supporting suspended Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Nupur Sharma, was beheaded and his killing was filmed by assailants in the western Indian state of Rajasthan on Tuesday.
The victim, Kanhaiya Lal, was attacked by a man with a sharp-edged weapon while the other person recorded the crime at Udaipur’s Maldas street, the police said.
With the city tense following the murder, internet services have been suspended in all of Rajasthan for 24 hours and statewide section 144 imposed for a month.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said that two men were held from the Rajsamand city in connection with the killing. “The criminals will be punished severely in court,” Gehlot said in a tweet. “I again appeal to all [citizens] to maintain peace.”
The police said the tailor had received threats from certain organisations after his posts in support of Nupur Sharma in the prophet remarks row.
Sharma was suspended on June 5 for her disparaging comments about Prophet Muhammad during a debate on Times Now television channel.
A purported video of the killing surfaced on social media. Another purported clip of two men 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 kill Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Rajasthan Police said it has imposed Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, restricting the gathering of four or more persons in several areas of the city until further orders, according to the Hindustan Times. The orders were imposed in the Dhanmandi, Ghantaghar, Hathipol, Ambamata, Surajpol, Bhupalpura and Savina areas of the Udaipur district.
Earlier, there were reports of shops being shut in Udaipur and police being alerted to prevent flare-ups. Internet was suspended for 24 hours in the city, according to The Times of India.
Udaipur Collector Tara Chand Meena requested the residents to maintain peace, ANI reported. He said that the family of the dead person will receive help from the government.
The murder could not be possibly committed by one man, alleged Gulab Chand Kataria, leader of Opposition in Rajasthan. “It is horrendous and failure of administration,” he added.