Man in India’s Udaipur murdered over post supporting Nupur Sharma

A tailor, who allegedly made a social media post in support of suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma, was brutally murdered in his shop in India's Udaipur today (June 28, 2022). The incident has triggered communal tension in the area, police said.

Curfew was announced tonight in parts of Udaipur town in the Indian state of Rajasthan after the incident, reports our New Delhi correspondent.

The two accused, who filmed the murder and bragged about it on camera in social media, have been arrested from Rajsamand, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot tweeted.

Nupur's controversial comments about the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) during a TV debate last month had sparked outrage and a major diplomatic row as India faced a backlash from several Muslim countries.

Two men reached the tailor's shop – under Dhan Mandi police station area of Udaipur – this afternoon posing as customers. When the tailor started taking one's measurement, the other person captured it on video using a mobile phone.

When the tailor was noting down the measurement, one of the persons attacked him with a sharp weapon, leaving him dead on the spot.

The attacker and his associate escaped and later shot another video in which they confessed to have slit the throat of the tailor and also threatened Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

They circulated the videos on social media which sparked communal tension in Udaipur town, our New Delhi correspondent reports.

Police said the tailor was arrested recently for a controversial social media post.

"A brutal murder has happened. Broadly, it seems to be a planned murder. We are discussing the demands put forth by the family members. Strict action will be taken against the criminals. I appeal to people to maintain peace," Udaipur SP Manoj Kumar said.

SHO of Dhan Mandi police station Govind Singh said the tailor had made some comments on social media and was arrested. He, however, could not divulge details about the post immediately.

Following the murder, local markets were shut by the traders demanding arrest of the attackers. They did not allow the police to take the body unless the attackers were arrested.

Meanwhile, authorities have imposed Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code, which bars assembly of five or more persons, in several parts of Udaipur and internet suspended in the district for the next 24 hours.

Udaipur's district collector Tarachand Meena and Superintendent of Police Manoj Kumar have appealed to the people to maintain calm.

Condemning the murder, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot of Congress appealed to people to maintain peace while assuring strict punishment for the culprits involved. He also appealed to people not to share the videos related to the incident.

Later, Gehlot told reporters in Jodhpur that the manner in which the murder was done is beyond imagination.

"The guilty will not be spared. The entire police team is working on it with full alertness. I can imagine the anger which is there among people due to the murder. We are taking action accordingly," Gehlot said.

Omar Abdullah, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister, condemned the murder in tweet saying: "This is straight forward murder & has no place in a civilized society. The authorities must investigate & prosecute to the fullest extent of the law."