Udaipur: As the family of Kanhaiyalal, the tailor from Rajasthan's Udaipur, who was killed by two Muslim men in the backdrop of blasphemous remarks of now suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma in 2022, observe his 2nd death anniversary on Friday, the accused in the murder case lodged at the Ajmer High Security Jail are killing time-some of them by reading books while those who don't know reading are waiting for the court's decision for their fate.
Kanhaiyalal was stabbed to death by two prime accused Riyaz and Gaus Mohammad inside his shop with a sharp weapon on June 28, 2022 for allegedly supporting suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma for her controversial remarks against the last Prophet of Islam.
While Kanhaiyalal's family is demanding stringent punishment to the accused, the accused who carried out the murder are lodged in Ajmer's high security jail. ETV Bharat spoke to Ajmer High Security Jail Superintendent Paras Jangid about the eight accused including prime accused Gaus and Riyaz, currently lodged at the jail. One accused has got bail from the court.
Jail Superintendent Paras Jangid said that after carrying out the murder, when the accused were brought to the high security jail Ajmer, they were scared and frightened and often used to ask the policemen when they will be hanged. Two years down the line, the accused have also realized that their fate will be decided only after the final decision of the court. “Now they have stopped asking the question,” he said. He said that all the accused have been kept in separate jail cells monitored through CCTV cameras.
Killing Time Reading Books: The jail superintendent said that some of the eight accused did not even know how to read and write, but in the last two years they have learned to read and write at the jail. He said that the accused are waiting for the court's decision and remain locked behind the bars of the jail for 16 to 18 hours a day. They are taken out in the morning and evening, he said. The jail superintendent said that the family members of the accused also visit the jail to meet them from time to time. Prime accused Riyaz and Gaus Mohammad lodged in Ajmer High Security Jail, do not talk to anyone as per the jail superintendent. “They come out of their barracks for some time as per the jail menu. Most of the time they stay alone in their barracks. The other six accused also meet people very little. Usually Riyaz and Gaus do not even talk to any jail guard. The jail administration also gives patriotic books to the accused to read. However, most of the accused are less interested in reading,” he said.
It can be recalled that the accused had also shot a video of the murder, which was posted on social media. After carrying out this murder, the accused fled towards Rajsamand, where the police caught them. The investigation of the case was handed over to the NIA. The NIA team has also made two Pakistani nationals Salman and Abu Ibrahim accused in this case. So far nine people have been arrested in this case, out of which one has got bail.
A charge sheet has been presented in the court against the accused under sections 120 B, 449, 302, 307 and 324 (34), 153 A, 153 B 295 A of the IPC and sections 16, 18 and 20 of the UAPA Act for terrorist activities. Accused Riyaz Attari, Gaus Mohammad, Asif Hussain, Mohsin, Mohammad Mohsin, Wasim Ali, Mohammad Javed and Muslim Khan are in jail, while the accused named Farhad Mohammad has got bail.
