Udaipur tailor’s murder: Uttar Pradesh police on alert, warns against provocative posts on social media

New Delhi: The Uttar Pradesh police has ramped up vigil in the state following the brutal murder of a tailor in Rajasthan’s Udaipur, Director General of Police DS Chauhan said on Wednesday (June 29). He also warned against posting provocative posts on social media. "All UP police personnel posted across the state are on alert following the incident in Udaipur. We will take strict action against those who post provocative material on social media. Our priority remains to maintain law and order in the state in any case," Chauhan was quoted as saying by PTI. 

The social media units in all districts have been directed to keep an eye on posts and act immediately if they come across any incendiary communal post, a senior official posted at Police Headquarters told the news agency. 

District police chiefs have been asked to hold peace committee talks with local religious heads to resolve any issue that can lead to a communal flare-up. 

The extra precautionary measures come after the state witnessed violence in early June. Earlier on June 3 and June 10,  protests were held against the remarks of now-suspended BJP leaders Nupur Sharma and Naveen Kumar Jindal on Prophet Mohammad, which took a violent turn. 

Udaipur tailor killed 

A tailor in Udaipur identified as Kanhaiya Lal Teli was murdered on Tuesday at his shop by two men pretending to be customers. He was killed for allegedly sharing a provocative remark made by Nupur Sharma against the Prophet. Two men, identified as Riaz Akhtari and Ghouse Mohammad, were arrested and booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for the Udaipur murder.

Meanwhile, the Rajasthan Police chief said a preliminary investigation has revealed that one of the two prime accused had links with the Pakistan-based Dawat-e-Islami organisation and had visited Karachi in 2014. 

Three more people have been detained in connection with the heinous killing so far, Director General of Police (DGP) M L Lather said. "One of the accused, Ghouse Mohammad, has links with the Karachi-based Ismalist organisation Dawat-e-Islami. He had visited Karachi in 2014. So far, we have detained five people, including the two prime accused," Lather was quoted as saying by PTI. 

(With agency inputs)