Udaipur murder: Two more arrested, case transferred to NIA; deceased's son demands govt job

Two more individuals were arrested on Friday in relation to the tailor murder case, said Udaipur IG Prafulla Kumar.

Udaipur: Two more people have been arrested in connection with the Udaipur tailor beheading case. "Two more people have been arrested in connection with the matter. They were involved in the conspiracy and preparation behind the entire crime," IG Prafulla Kumar said. Further hearings in the case will be done in NIA Court Jaipur as NIA has appealed to the Jaipur district court to hand over the case.

NIA SP Ravi Chaudhary presented the application before the District Judge on Friday. The Judge directed that further hearing in the case would be done on the directions of NIA court in Jaipur. Udaipur Police came under strong criticism for not providing security to the murdered tailor Kanhaiya Lal after he complained of threats over a social media post in support of suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma. Tailor Kanhaiya Kumar was hacked to death inside his shop by two men in broad daylight. Meanwhile, on Thursday night, two accused in the Udaipur tailor's killing who were arrested from Bhim in the Rajsamand district were brought to Ajmer's high-security jail.

The duo had sparked outrage in the country after posting a video on social media boasting about the "beheading". They also threatened Prime Minister Narendra Modi's life as well. The assailants who identified themselves in the video as Riyaz Akhtari and Ghouse Mohammad.

Riyaz was seen attacking 47-year-old Kanhaiya Lal with a sharp-edged weapon while the other, Ghouse, recorded the crime on his mobile phone. The incident took place in Udaipur's Maldas area. The victim reportedly had recently shared a social media post in support of Nupur Sharma-- former BJP leader who had made controversial remarks against Prophet Mohammad.

Kanhaiya Lal was cremated on Wednesday in Udaipur in the presence of a large number of people who raised slogans demanding capital punishment for the accused. His last rites were performed amidst heavy police security. Rajasthan Police on Wednesday said that the main accused in Lal's killing were in touch with Pakistan-based organisation Dawat-e-Islami and one of them also went to Karachi in Pakistan in 2014 to meet the organisation.

Rajasthan Director General of Police (DGP) ML Lather said that besides the main accused, police have also taken three other people into our custody, with whom they were in contact. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday took over the investigation of the brutal murder of a tailor Kanhaiya Lal in Rajasthan's Udaipur who was hacked to death inside his shop by two men in broad daylight.

The two accused were arrested within hours of the incident. NIA on Thursday said it suspects the role of a "terror gang and not a terror outfit". The anti-terror agency, however, made it clear that there is a role of a bigger gang behind the brutal killing and that it was not just an act done by only two persons, who were arrested by state police after the incident.

As per the agency, the accused, both residents of Udaipur, will be questioned at NIA's Jaipur office and not be brought to Delhi. NIA's six to 10-member team under the supervision of an Inspector General and a Deputy Inspector General rank officer is probing the matter, and a series of raids will be conducted as per inputs, said the officer. The anti-terror agency has filed a First Information Report (FIR) under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act as well as various sections of the Indian Penal Code.

The move comes soon after the Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday directed the NIA to take over the investigation of the case that shocked people across the country. Following the murder, local markets in the area were shut as the traders demanded justice for the victim. Internet services were suspended in Udaipur and a curfew has been imposed. A statewide alert had also been issued to all SPs and IGs to increase the mobility of forces and to maintain officers on the ground.

In a special conversation with ETV Bharat, Yash, the elder son of the deceased said that the Chief Minister has assured to give him a government job. "The police is working efficiently now and if the police have worked like this earlier, this would not have happened to my father. My family has no support now and we are still scared," Yash said.

The deceased Kanhaiyalal was survived by his wife Yashoda, his two sons, and his mother. "Both my children should get government jobs as their father was the only earning hand in the family," the deceased's wife said. Yash is 20 years old and his younger brother Tarun is 18.

Chief Minister Gehlot met the deceased Kanhaiyalal's son and other relatives on June 30. During this, the Chief Minister handed over a cheque of financial assistance of Rs 50 lakh to the victim's family. Along with this, the victim's family was assured government job to one member of the family. (Agency inputs)