Alert sounded in Delhi after Udaipur killing

The two men allegedly filmed the incident and claimed responsibility for the murder in another video in which they also issued threats to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Delhi Police on Tuesday sounded an alert and increased the number of personnel stationed across Delhi, especially in areas populated by both Hindus and Muslims, in the wake of two men killing a tailor in Rajasthan’s Udaipur over his social media post supporting suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma.

Udaipur: Police personnel deployed after the murder of Kanhaiya Lal, in Udaipur.(PTI)

The two men allegedly filmed the incident and claimed responsibility for the murder in another video in which they also issued threats to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Senior police officers said cyber police stations across the Capital have been asked to intensify social media monitoring and flag posts, images and videos with the potential to inflame communal tension in sensitive neighbourhoods, including those that have witnessed communal violence in the past.

A senior police officer from northwest Delhi said that most personnel are stationed in Jahangirpuri, where clashes broke out between Hindus and Muslims on April 16, during a religious procession on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti. As the procession wound its way through Jahangirpuri’s C-Block, a scuffle broke out, which escalated to stone-pelting and arson. A few policemen and a resident were injured during the clashes, and several properties were damaged.

“We have alerted our field functionaries and asked them to be on their toes to avoid any untoward incident in their respective areas. We have given directions for increasing the presence of police personnel on patrol on motorcycles and four-wheelers. We are also holding peace committee meetings with people from both communities. We are urging people to refrain from hatemongering and rumourmongering and report people who attempting to disrupt communal peace and harmony,” said the officer.

There is also additional deployment of security personnel in northeast Delhi, which witnessed communal violence in February 2020, claiming 53 lives and leaving over 500 injured, police said. Members of the bhaichara (brotherhood) committee have been asked to hold meetings in their respective neighbourhoods and ask residents to stay away from hatemongers and maintain the peace and tranquillity of their areas.

“We have also activated our human intelligence network for gathering information about anti-social elements who may provoke people and trigger violence by holding protests against the Udaipur killing in communally charged neighbourhoods. Our personnel are keeping a watch on the activities of such people,” another police officer said.

Police have taken similar precautionary steps in the Walled City and in south Delhi’s Jamia Nagar, Okhla and Shaheen Bagh, the officers added.

In May, Sharma had made controversial comments on Prophet Mohammed on a television show. The remarks were later condemned by the government after they sparked furious responses from Muslim-majority countries in West Asia and South-East Asia, many of whom also summoned Indian envoys to register their displeasure. The BJP later suspended Sharma and expelled another spokesperson, Naveen Jindal, for the controversial remarks. Sharma is facing multiple FIRs, including one by Delhi Police, but has not been arrested.