Udaipur: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday visited the house of Kanhaiya Lal who was brutally killed by two men here.
The chief minister spoke to the family members and relatives of Lal, and Home Minister Rajendra Yadav handed over a cheque of Rs 50 lakh to them. Gehlot also announced Rs 10 lakh compensation for police constable Sandeep Kumar, who was injured in a sword attack in Bhim town of Rajsamand district. He also ordered to promote Kumar as head constable. The senior Congress leader also met Ishwar Gaur, who sustained injuries while saving Lal from the assailants, at MB Hospital here. He assured Gaur of all possible help and security to family members. Gehlot was accompanied by the party’s state chief Govind Singh Dotasra, Revenue Minister Ramlal Jat, DGP M L Lather and other leaders and officials during his visit to Lal’s house at Sector 14 here, officials said.
He also called a law and order review meeting in Udaipur with police and administrative officials, and directed them to take strict against those who flout rule of the land.
“The National Investigation Agency (NIA) should take up this case in a fast track court. The charge sheet should be filed as soon as possible so that punishment can be awarded,” Gehlot told reporters after meeting Lal’s family.
Lal, a tailor, was on Tuesday killed by two men who had posted videos online that said they were avenging an insult to Islam.
The incident triggered stray cases of violence in Udaipur and a curfew was clamped in seven police station areas of the city.
Lal was cremated on Wednesday in the presence of a large number of people.
Gehlot said those who killed Lal made a video on their own and thus they themselves have become eyewitnesses.
“The way the incident has happened, it has shaken the country. The accused were caught and the police and Special Operations Group (SOG) did a good job,” he said.
The chief minister said the NIA has taken up the case and the SOG of the state police will cooperate with the probe agency.
Asked about the failure of the police in providing security to Lal despite his complainant, he said it will become clear in the NIA investigation whether there was any failure on part of the local police.
Meanwhile, heavy deployment of police was made in Udaipur to maintain law and order, and two Additional Director Generals, one Deputy IG and other senior officials are camping in the city to monitor the situation, officials said.
Thousands of people on Thursday took part in a protest rally here against the gruesome murder of Lal.
The ‘Sarv Hindu Samaj’ rally was called by Hindu organisations and was held peacefully from the Town Hall to the collectorate with the permission of the district administration.
Meanwhile, markets remained closed in most parts of Jaipur on Thursday following a bandh call given by a traders’ body and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad to protest the brutal killing.
Elaborate security arrangements have been made in view of the bandh, officials said, adding that emergency services are exempted.
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
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