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Hindu man murdered in India over support for Prophet Mohammed remarks
- The victim was a tailor who shared a social media post supporting former BJP spokeswoman Nupur Sharma, according to local media
- A gory video of his attempted beheading was widely shared online, prompting authorities in Udaipur to shut down mobile internet. Two men have been arrested
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Agence France-Pressein Jaipur
Hundreds of police were deployed and mobile internet was cut in an Indian city on Wednesday following the murder of a Hindu tailor, allegedly by two Muslim men.
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Western India’s Udaipur was placed under partial curfew to guard against potential sectarian violence after a video purporting to show the Hindu man’s attempted beheading went viral.
Mobile internet access was also cut in other parts of Rajasthan state, and local authorities issued a month-long order banning four or more people from gathering anywhere in the state.
The victim was reportedly a tailor who shared a social media post supporting recent comments about the Islamic Prophet Mohammed by a spokeswoman for India’s ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party.
The remarks by Nupur Sharma at a television debate in late May sparked protests that turned violent in some parts of India and demonstrations across the Islamic world.
In the video purporting to show the alleged murder, the two men can be seen brandishing large knives and threatening to kill Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well as Sharma.
“Both the accused in the killing have been arrested and we will ensure strict punishment and speedy justice,” said Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot.
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