Udaipur Tailor Killer Has Pak Links, Say Cops; 5 More Detained

One of the accused, Mohammad Riyas Ansari, was in contact with Pakistan-based terror groups. Gulam Gaus had visited Karachi in 2014. Before killing Kanhaiya Lal, they had watched many ISIS videos and made multiple calls to Pakistan, said sources in the police and the Special Investigation Team formed by the Ashok Gehlot government.

Riyas Ansari, sources said, was in touch with a Pakistan-based terror organisation called Dawaat-e-Islam. The other accused has gone to Nepal twice and was in touch with a few terror groups. He also had connections in Dubai, sources said.

Riyas was waiting for Kanhaiya Lal to open his shop for the last one week. On June 17, he made a video where he said after an "act" he will make his video viral. He had called upon others to join him as well, sources said.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot tweeted saying a preliminary investigation has revealed that the murder was done to spread terror and the killers had links in other nations. A case has been registered under stringent provisions of UAPA, he said.

The state government has ordered a compensation of Rs 31 lakh for the family members of Kanhaiya Lal.

Treating the killing of Kanhaiya Lal as a terror incident, the centre asked the National Investigation Agency earlier today to probe the brutal murder. "The involvement of any organisation and international links will be thoroughly investigated," the home ministry said in a tweet.

The killers - Gos Mohammad and Riyas Ansari – were arrested hours after the murder. Posing as customers, the two had entered Kanhaiya Lal's shop yesterday afternoon and shot the attack on cellphone.

In another video, the killers were seen gloating about the murder and brandishing a cleaver, issue threats to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Curfew was imposed in parts of Udaipur and internet connection severed across the district last night after stray incidents of violence were reported from some areas. Large gatherings were banned across Rajasthan.

Kanhaiya Lal had expressed support on social media for the former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma, whose controversial remarks on Prophet Mohammed had set off a huge controversy at home and abroad. He was arrested on June 10 over a post. On June 15, while on bail, he told the police that he was being threatened by his neighbours.