India state on alert after Prophet Muhammad row beheading

The murder of a Hindu man in the northern Indian state of Rajasthan has sparked religious tensions in the area.

The victim, a tailor named Kanhaiya Lal, was killed in Udaipur district on Tuesday by two Muslim men, who filmed the act and posted it online.

They claimed the act was in retaliation for the victim’s support for controversial remarks made by a politician on the Prophet Muhammad.

The Indian Government has suspended internet services and banned large gatherings.

Police have arrested the two men, who had identified themselves in the video.

In another video, they boasted about the murder and also issued threats to Prime Minister Narendra Modi while brandishing cleavers.

A top Rajasthan Police official asked media outlets not to broadcast the video of the murder as it was “too grisly to watch”.

The men posed as customers to enter Kanhaiya Lal’s shop, and attacked him while he was taking their measurements.

The victim had allegedly put up a social media post supporting former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Nupur Sharma, who made controversial comments about the Prophet Muhammad last month.

Her comments sparked a diplomatic row with several Islamic countries registering strong protests with India. The BJP subsequently suspended Ms Sharma from the party.

The controversy also led to religious protests in India which turned violent after demonstrators threw stones and damaged public property.

According to BBC’s Nitin Srivastava, reporting from Udaipur, India’s lake city Udaipur was in complete shutdown. Mobile internet services have been stopped and a stringent curfew was in place with a heavy police presence all around.

Tensions were visible between majority Hindus and minority Muslims who live and work next to each other in the densely-populated city.

Security was tight for Kanhaiya Lal’s funeral, which was attended by thousands.

Meanwhile, three weeks before his murder, Kanhaiya Lal had been arrested by the Police for allegedly hurting religious feelings, the Indian Express reported. He had asked for Police protection after his release, citing threats to his life.

Police had then called some Hindus and Muslims for a peace meeting, after which Kanhaiya Lal said he didn’t ‘need any more action against any one’, a Police official said.