One of the accused in the brutal killing of tailor Kanhaiya Lal in Udaipur, Ghaus Mohammed, has a Pakistan connection. The investigative agencies have learnt that Ghaus when to Pakistan for terrorist training. He is said to have been living in India as a sleeper cell and has been in touch with a Pakistan-based handler via different contact numbers.
He had links with the Pakistan-based Dawat-e-Islami organisation. He visited Karachi in 2014, revealed Rajasthan Police chief on Wednesday.
"The role of Pakistan based agencies has emerged. We will check the call details record of all his numbers. His all social media profiles will be scanned. We will also try to establish the role of others, if any," a source was quoted as saying by news agency IANS.
On Tuesday, two Muslim men from Rajsamand town – Riaz Akhtari and Mohammad Ghouse – went into the shop of Kanhaiya Lal posing as customers desiring to get clothes stitched. They later hacked the man with a sharp-edged weapon while recording the incident on camera. The accused then made multiple videos viral including that of the attack and a later confession. The viral video of the killing was termed as “Taliban-style”.
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In one of the videos, they said that they had taught a lesson to the victim for posting an “objectionable” post on social media. The deceased had posted in support of suspended BJP MP Nupur Sharma a few days ago. Sharma, former national spokesperson of the BJP, was suspended from the party after her controversial remarks on Prophet Muhammad triggered an uproar internally in India and externally from other nations.
The horrific killing in broad daylight shook Udaipur and has created an atmosphere of tension in Rajasthan. Other states have also been on alert since yesterday. As per police sources, the plot to murder Kanhaiya Lal was hatched 10 days ago. Both the accused were arrested later on the eventful day in rapid police action. Three others have also been arrested in connection with the murder.
READ | Udaipur murder: Accused aimed to spread terror, booked under UAPA
(With inputs from agencies)
