Hindu tailor’s beheading in Rajasthan: Pakistan links emerge

• Shubham
• 29 June, 2022

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By: Shubham Ghosh

INVESTIGATION into the gruesome murder of a tailor in broad daylight in a busy market area in Udaipur in the north-western Indian state of Rajasthan which rocked the nation on Tuesday (28) has revealed that the two men arrested in connection with the incident has alleged links with Pakistan-based Sunni Islamist organisation Dawat-e-Islami, which in turn is connected to the Tehreek-e-Labbaik extremist body located in the same country.

India’s Hindustan Times reported this citing sources familiar with the probe.

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On Tuesday, the 48-year-old tailor named Kanhaiya Lal was beheaded by Riyaz Attari, a 38-year-old resident of Bhilwara in Rajasthan and Ghous Mohammed, a 39-year-old from Udaipur, with giant cleavers for backing Nupur Sharma, a former official of India’s Hindu right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over her controversial remarks on Prophet Muhammad made during a live television debate.

In India’s Rajasthan, Hindu shopkeeper hacked to death for backing Nupur Sharma

The two were arrested by Rajasthan Police while they were going to Rajsamand to shoot a video after hacking Lal to death. They had video recorded the murder which became viral on social media. In another video, they were also seen issuing death threat to Indian prime minister Narendra Modi.

Interrogation of the two accused men revealed that they belong to the Sufi-Barelvi sect of Sunni Islam and had close links with Dawat-e-Islami which is based in Karachi. While the two were self-radicalised, counter-terror officials were trying to find out whether they have connection with other extremist Sunni groups in India, the report added.

The two were booked under the UAPA (Unlawful Activities Prevention Act) and the case was handed over to India’s National Investigation Agency.

Dawat-e-Islami tries to spread the teachings of the Quran and Sunnah globally with the objective of advocating Shariah. It has a huge following in Pakistan and supports the blasphemy law in that country.

Other updates on the case:

• Lal’s wife told Indian news channel NDTV that the former had returned to his shop after several days as he had stopped work after receiving death threats over his social media posts. He decided to join work on Tuesday and it was then when his assassins arrived, posing as customers.
• Lal’s body was handed over to his bereaved family on Wednesday (29) after post-mortem. His funeral procession took place in Udaipur amid high security arrangements and hundreds of local people attended it.
• The state government of Rajasthan on Tuesday imposed Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code in all districts of the state for the next one month in the wake of Lal’s murder. The Indian National Congress government of the state also set up a special investigation team featuring some high-ranked police officers to look into the matter. Internet services were also suspended in the entire state. The police were kept on high alert throughout the state.
• Udaipur divisional commissioner Rajendra Bhatt appealed to the people to maintain peace. “We appeal to the people of Udaipur to maintain peace. The (victim Kanhaiya Lal’s) dependents have been assured of recruitment through placement service in UIT, and the family will be given compensation of Rs 5 lakh (£5,192),” he said.

[With agency inputs]