Police deployed in Indian city after gruesome sectarian killing
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JAIPUR (India) • Hundreds of police were deployed and mobile Internet was cut in an Indian city yesterday following the alleged murder of a Hindu tailor by two Muslim men.
Udaipur, in India's north-western Rajasthan state, was placed under partial curfew to guard against potential sectarian violence after a video purporting to show the attempted beheading of Mr Kanhaiya Lal went viral.
Mobile Internet access was also cut in other parts of Rajasthan, and the local authorities issued a month-long order banning gatherings of four or more people anywhere in the state.
Mr Lal's funeral was due to be held later in the day.
He was reportedly a tailor who shared a social media post supporting comments about the Prophet Muhammad by a spokesman for India's ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The remarks by Ms Nupur Sharma at a TV debate last month sparked protests that turned violent in parts of India, and demonstrations across the Islamic world.
In the video purporting to show the alleged murder, the two men can be seen brandishing large knives and threatening to kill Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well as Ms Sharma.
"Both the accused in the killing have been arrested and we will ensure strict punishment and speedy justice," said Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot.
Mr Gehlot appealed to people to not share the video as it would "serve the attackers' motive of creating discord in society".
Ms Sharma was sacked by the BJP after her comments, which saw the governments of nearly 20 countries summoning their Indian envoys for an explanation.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE