The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has said in its charge sheet over the killing of tailor Kanhaiya Lal Teli in Udaipur that Salman, member of Karachi-based organisation Dawat-e-Islami, contacted Mohammad Gous via WhatsApp immediately after Nupur Sharma’s controversial remarks, asking him to avenge the insult to Prophet Mohammed, prompting the accused to plan the brutal attack, people familiar with the matter said.
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Salman and another member of Dawat-e-Islami, Abu Ibrahim, both based in Karachi, have been named in the NIA charge sheet, filed in a Jaipur court on Thursday. Dawat-e-Islami has also been named in the charge sheet, but not in the accused column, according to an officer who asked not to be named.
Gous, the officer said, first met Salman during his visit to Pakistan in February 2014 and they were in touch since then.
Immediately after now-suspended Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Nupur Sharma’s derogatory remarks on Prophet Mohammed during a TV debate in May, which led to an international row, with Muslim countries condemning the statement and demanding action, Salman got in touch with Gous and Riyaz Attri (the two attackers).
“They were in touch through WhatsApp. Salman asked Gous and Riyaz Attri to avenge the insult to Prophet after which the two attackers planned the killing,” said the officer.
{{/usCountry}}“They were in touch through WhatsApp. Salman asked Gous and Riyaz Attri to avenge the insult to Prophet after which the two attackers planned the killing,” said the officer.
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Lal was beheaded on June 28 at his shop in Udaipur after which the two alleged attackers made a video of the gruesome murder and posted it on social media. They even issued a threat against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in another video.
Founded by Maulana Ilyas Attri in Karachi, Dawat-e-Islami is said to conduct charitable work but its name has also figured in instigating violent acts. Its website says it is a global non-political Islamic organisation working for the propagation of the Quran and Sunnah throughout the globe and that it was established in 1981.
A second officer said further investigation about the role of Dawat-e-Islami and others is continuing in the case.
Gous, Riyaz and seven other Indians named in the charge sheet on Thursday were self-radicalised, according to the agency.
“Investigations have revealed that the accused persons, operating as a terror gang-module, conspired to take revenge. The accused were radicalised and took inspiration from incriminating audios/videos/messages being circulated from within and outside India,” a statement by NIA said on Thursday.
“The accused arranged deadly knives/arms and murdered Kanhaiya Lal in reaction to his Facebook Post and attacked a co-worker in his shop in broad daylight. They made a video of the killing, released and made it viral. They also shot another threatening video with the intentions of striking terror among the people of India,” it added.