Police ban gatherings, suspend internet after Hindu man slain

Fearing outbreaks of religious violence, police in the Indian state of Rajasthan banned public gatherings and suspended internet services a day after two Muslims posted a video claiming responsibility for slaying a Hindu man.

“We are under strict orders to prevent any form of protests or demonstrations scheduled to condemn the murder,” Hawa Singh Ghumaria, a senior officer in the northwestern state said, adding the crime had sent “shockwaves through the country”.

Brandishing a meat cleaver, two bearded men said in the video they were avenging an insult to Prophet Mohammad caused by the victim.

They also alluded to Nupur Sharma, a former spokeswoman for the ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), whose remarks about the Prophet earlier this month triggered domestic and international outrage.

Mr Ghumaria described the bloody attack on Kanhaiya Lal at his tailor shop in the city of Udaipur as “an act of terror” and said two suspects were being interrogated by federal investigators.

Two assailants slashed Lal’s head and throat in an attack while he was taking measurements, according to Bhawarlal Thoda, a city administrator in Udaipur.

According to Mr Thoda, the tailor had been detained over a social media post in support of the BJP spokeswoman that was traced to his mobile phone, and that after being released Lal had told police on June 15 that he was being threatened by some group.

Authorities said they had suspended internet services in several parts of Rajasthan to prevent circulation of the video shared by the accused.

“The mood is tense and almost all shops are closed today,” Mr Thoda said. The city of around half a million people is one of the major tourist draws in the desert state, and is known as the home of the famous Taj Lake Palace.

In another clip posted online, one assailant threatened Prime Minister Narendra Modi.