Kanhaiya Lal Murder: Accused Ghouse Mohammad Has Links With Pakistan-Based Outfit, Says Rajasthan DGP

Udaipur Murder Case Pakistan Connection: Director General of Police (DGP) ML Lather said police had detained three more people in connection with the murder of Kanhaiya Lal.

Policemen carry out a flag march through a street in Ajmer following the alleged murder of a Hindu tailor by two Muslim men in Udaipur (Source: AFP)

New Delhi: One of the two accused, Ghouse Mohammad, who carried out the brutal murder of a tailor in Udaipur has links with Pakistan-based organisation Dawat-e-Islami and had visited Karachi in 2014, the Rajasthan Police chief said on Wednesday. Addressing a press conference, Director General of Police (DGP) ML Lather said police had detained three more people in connection with the murder of Kanhaiya Lal.

"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 said.

Breaking: उदयपुर हत्याकांड से जुड़ी बड़ी खबर, आरोपी गौस मोहम्मद का पाकिस्तान कनेक्शन आया सामने@romanaisarkhan https://t.co/smwhXUROiK#Rajasthan #Udaipur #NupurSharma #Murder pic.twitter.com/fQ7FAyFzzg

— ABP News (@ABPNews) June 29, 2022

Rajasthan Home Minister Rajendra Yadav also told ABP News that Ghouse Mohammad had Pakistan links and had received training in the neighbouring country.

Two men, identified as Riaz Akhtari and Ghouse Mohammad, allegedly hacked Kanhaiya Lal to death with a cleaver at his shop in Udaipur on Tuesday, prompting massive protests in the area. In a video clip posted online, one of the assailants said they had beheaded the man and also threatened Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Ghouse Mohammad, involved in tailor killing in Udaipur, has links with Pakistan-based Dawat-e-Islami organisation: Rajasthan Police chief

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 29, 2022

Riaz Akhtari and Ghouse Mohammad were taken into custody on Tuesday and booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the various sections of IPC. When asked whether both the accused had links with Dawat-e-Islami, Lather said that it cannot be ruled out as both of them were equally involved.

Lather said Ghouse Mohammad had visited Dawat-e-Islami, Karachi, in 2014. "The outfit has its offices in Mumbai and Delhi. Riaz works as a welder and Ghouse is into some petty works. It is also found that the distinct weapon used to hack Kanhaiya was made by Riaz around four-five years ago," PTI quoted the DGP as saying

On June 15, Kanhaiya filed a complaint at the police station that four-five people were following him and his life was in danger. "The SHO failed to assess the gravity of the situation and effective action was not taken on the Kanhaiya’s complaint," the state police chief said. "The assistant sub-inspector was suspended yesterday, and today the SHO has been suspended for negligence," he further said..

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has registered a case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Act (UAPA) in connection with the brutal murder. NIA teams have reached Udaipur and necessary action has been initiated for a speedy investigation of the matter.

The spokesperson of the MHA said, "MHA has directed the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to take over the investigation of the brutal murder of Shri Kanhaiya Lal Teli committed at Udaipur, Rajasthan yesterday. The involvement of any organisation and international links will be thoroughly investigated." 

MHA has directed the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to take over the investigation of the brutal murder of Shri Kanhaiya Lal Teli committed at Udaipur, Rajasthan yesterday.

The involvement of any organisation and international links will be thoroughly investigated.

— गृहमंत्री कार्यालय, HMO India (@HMOIndia) June 29, 2022

The Rajasthan Police arrested the accused from the Rajsamand district after 6-7 hours of the incident. There is an atmosphere of tension in the whole of Rajasthan. Curfew was imposed in many areas. A large number of police forces have been deployed in Udaipur.