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Hindu tailor murdered in gruesome hate crime
The two killers, Mohammad Riyaz Akhtari and Gaus Mohammad were arrested around 7.30pm from the Bheem area in Rajsamand, about 160km from Udaipur.
Two Muslim men hacked to death an Udaipur tailor on Tuesday afternoon, capturing the act on their phones, and later issuing a threat to Prime Minister Narendra Modi while posing proudly with the knives used in the killing in a hate crime that has shocked the country.
The Rajasthan police moved swiftly to arrest the men, but questions remain why the victim, Kanhaiya Lal, 47, who received threats a week ago, and informed the police about them was not provided security, or why the police did not act against a video posted by one of the killers, Mohammad Riyaz Akhtari, on June 17, in which he clearly articulated his intentions.
The two killers, Mohammad Riyaz Akhtari and Gaus Mohammad were arrested around 7.30pm from the Bheem area in Rajsamand, about 160km from Udaipur. According to the police, Riyaz works at a mosque and is also involved in religious propaganda, and Mohammad runs a grocery store. Both live in the Surajpole area of Udaipur.
“The guilty will not be spared. Entire police team is working on it with full alertness. I can imagine the anger which is there among people due to the murder. We are taking action accordingly,” chief minister Ashok Gehlot said.
The state government, late in the night, setup a special investigation team led by ADG, SOG Ashok Rathore, and ATS IG Praful Kumar, a SP and an additional SP, officials said.
Protests broke out across the city of Udaipur after the killing, which happened around 2.30pm, even as the Rajasthan government suspended Internet services, and leaders in the state and across the country appealed for calm. Late on Tuesday evening, the National Investigation Agency sent a team to Udaipur and there was speculation that it could take over investigation into what was clearly a case of domestic terrorism. Senior officials in Delhi said this could happen even if the state does not give consent and added that it is clear that the killing is a case of violent extremism and that it has caused panic among the public.
The Rajasthan government has banned internet services across the state till Wednesday evening, and imposed Section 144 in all 33 districts, which means more than four people will not be allowed to gather at one place. It also cancelled leave of all police personnel and officers. The state’s chief secretary has also asked that the video clips are not circulated.
According to officials investigating the case, Lal put out a message supporting suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma, who commented on Prophet Mohammed in a TV debate (which caused her suspension). After complaints from some members of the Muslim community, he was picked up by the police, but released after a day. He then complained about receiving threats to the police and shut his shop for six days, finally opening for business on Tuesday. It wasn’t immediately clear whether his killers were the people who threatened him.
On Tuesday afternoon, after entering Lal’s shop, Akhtari and Gaus posed as customers; Lal even took their measurements; and the video of the killing shows the two men then attacking him. The hacking can’t be seen, although Lal can be heard screaming in pain. Police officials said the attackers sought to decapitate him.
The killers also posted a second video showing them lounging on a sofa, brandishing their knives. Threatening the Prime Minister, Riyaz said that their knife will get him as well. The assailants also referred to Sharma in the video.
The killing drew condemnation from across political lines.
Former chief minister and senior BJP leader Vasundhara Raje tweeted, “The brutal murder of an innocent youth in broad daylight has cleared that the criminals are in high spirits and a situation of communal frenzy and violence has arisen in the state. The criminals are so ignorant that they have given violent statements about the Prime Minister.”
“All the criminals involved in the incident should be immediately arrested and punished severely. Those who are behind this incident, the state government should also expose and arrest them,” she said.
Condemning the murder, CM Gehlot assured swift action. “The guilty will not be spared. Entire police team is working on it with full alertness. I can imagine the anger which is there among people due to the murder. We are taking action accordingly,” he said.
In the June 17 video Riyaz says: “I Mohammad Riyaz Aktari am making this video on Jumma, June 17. I will make this video viral when we behead those who have insulted Rasule-E-Pak.”
He adds how he will carry out the first beheading and says there are others whose heads need to be beheaded in Sector 11 (where Lal lived) too, and beseeches his viewers to do that. “Don’t worry about your family or business. Even I have a family and a job but I am not worries as I am living for Rasule-E-Pak.”
The Station House Officer at Dhan Mandi area of Udaipur, where the tailor had his shop, Govind Singh confirmed that Lal had been picked up on complaints from the Muslim community, but couldn’t share more information. It also emerged that Lal approached the police a week back after receiving death threats.
Condemning the murder, chief minister Gehlot tweeted and appealed to people to maintain peace while assuring strict punishment to the culprits involved. He also appealed to people not to share the videos related to the incident.
Addressing reporters in Jodhpur, Gehlot said the manner in which the murder was done is beyond imagination. He also said that given the situation, the Prime Minister should address the country.
“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,” he said.
BJP state chief Satish Poonia alleged that Gehlot was practising the politics of appeasement, and that this was responsible for attacks on Hindus. He also blamed the state for not acting on the threat against Lal, and said attacks such as the one on Tuesday cannot be done with the backing of organisations.
