Udaipur murder: Accused aimed to spread terror, booked under UAPA

The Rajasthan Police has booked the two men who brutally murdered Kanhaiya Lal in Udaipur a day before under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said on Wednesday. The Udaipur murder was meant to spread terror. Information has also surfaced that the killers have contacts abroad, he said. The case will be investigated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) of Rajasthan Police will fully cooperate with the probe agency, he said.

Gehlot made the remarks after chairing a high-level meeting in which he reviewed the situation in Udaipur. Official sources said the chief minister has also convened an all-party meeting at his residence at 6 PM today over the Udaipur incident. Kanhaiya Lal, a tailor, was on Tuesday murdered by two men who had posted videos online that said they were avenging an insult to Islam.

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The incident triggered stray cases of violence in Udaipur and curfew was clamped in seven police station areas of the city. Lal was cremated on Wednesday in the presence of a large number of people. "A high-level review meeting was held today on the Udaipur incident. Police officials said preliminary investigation has revealed that the incident was prima facie done to spreading terror" Gehlot tweeted. He said a case has been registered under UAPA. Further investigation will be done by the NIA in which Rajasthan ATS will fully cooperate, he said.

"The police and the administration should ensure law and order in the entire state and take strict action against those trying to create nuisance," he said. It has also been decided to give out-of-term promotion to five policemen-- Tejpal, Narendra, Shaukat, Vikas and Gautam -- who were prompt in arresting the accused involved in the Udaipur incident, the chief minister said.

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Riyaz and Gose Mohammad had brutally murdered Lal, aged around 45 years, inside his shop in Dhan Mandi police station area on Tuesday. The two men, identified as Riaz Akhtari and Ghouse Mohammad, have been arrested by the police. In a video clip, Akhtari declared that they had "beheaded" the man and went on to threaten Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying their knife will get him as well.
Indirectly, the assailants also referred to Nupur Sharma, the BJP leader suspended from the party over a remark on Prophet Mohammad.