India: The murder of Kanhaiya Lal, a Hindu tailor, took place on 28 June, 2022 in Udaipur, in the Indian state of Rajasthan. Lal was decapitated and murdered by two Muslim assailants who captured the attack on camera and circulated the video online.
Lal was killed for allegedly sharing a social media post in support of Indian politician Nupur Sharma, who was involved in the 2022 Prophet remarks row. The assailants entered Lal's store posing as customers before beheading him.
Videos of the murder were posted on the internet, with two alleged assailants holding butcher knives and claiming responsibility for the murder, identifying themselves as Mohammed Riyaz Akhtar and Mohammed Gosh. Local authorities announced a curfew and blocked internet access after videos of the attack went viral on social media, triggering mass outrage across India. The Indian government made attempts to stop the video of the brutal attack from circulating online.
Background
On June 11, Lal's neighbor Nazim had registered a case against him over a controversial social media post which led to Lal's arrest. Subsequently Lal was released on bail. On June 15, Lal had filed a request for protection with the local police after receiving death threats.
In his complaint at Dhan Mandi police station, Lal stated that he was receiving threats from Nazim and others. In his complaint against Nazim and five others, Lal alleged that the group had circulated his photo within their community on social media with a message that Lal should be killed if seen anywhere or if he opens his shop. However, the police allege that they mediated and resolved the matter between Nazim and Lal.
Lal also mentioned that the controversial post was shared inadvertently by his son and that he did not know how to operate a phone.
Murder
On June 28, two assailants entered Lal's tailor shop posing as customers. When Lal began taking the measurements for one of them, he was attacked with a cleaver at 2.45 p.m. The entire attack was caught on video by the assailants. A shop assistant of Lal also sustained severe head injuries trying to save him.
After subduing Lal, the two accused dragged him out of the shop and slit his throat. Other shopkeepers did not make attempts to rescue him. The assailants fled on foot and then drove away on a motorcycle.
The assailants were identified as Mohammad Riyaz and Ghouse Mohammad. In what seems to be a second video (taken after the attack), they boasted about the “beheading” and made threats against India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“Listen, Narendra Modi, you have lit the fire, but we will douse it...
I pray to god that this dagger will reach your neck one day, too.”
— Threats made by one of the assailants on video
The assailants were arrested by authorities in the Rajsamand district of Rajasthan on June 28, reportedly while tried to flee. The Rajasthan Police claimed that one of the attackers had links with Dawat-e-Islami based in Pakistan
After the incident, Government response, local authorities of Udaipur imposed a 24 hour curfew and blocked internet access across the state of Rajasthan. The central government deployed the National Investigative Agency, India’s primary counterterrorism unit, to investigate the incident.
.png)
The opinions posted here do not belong to 🔰www.indiansdaily.com. The author is solely responsible for the opinions.
As per the IT policy of the Central Government, insults against an individual, community, religion or country, defamatory and inflammatory remarks, obscene and vulgar language are punishable offenses. Legal action will be taken for such expressions of opinion.