A man in Rajasthan's Rajsamand hacks a labourer to death and burns the body while keeping up an inflammatory communal rant against "love jihad." Internet has been suspended in Rajsamand - around five hours - to stop the circulation of two video clips posted on WhatsApp by the killer, identified as Shambhu Lal. Shambhu Lal has been arrested and his 14-year-old nephew, who allegedly filmed the videos, has also been held. The killer's 11-year-old daughter is seen in one of the videos. "It is a merciless killing. A normal person wouldn't do this," said senior police officer OP Galhotra. The police found the half-burnt body of the victim - 45-year-old Mohammad Afrazul, a daily wager from West Bengal. The father of three had been working in Rajasthan for 20 years.
In one of two clips posted online, Shambhu Lal, in a red shirt, white trousers and a white muffler, is seen leading Afrazul to a spot in the woods. The police say Shambhu had claimed to Afrazul that he needed directions. Shambhu Lal follows him and attacks him repeatedly with a pickaxe. Loud wailing and screams for help are heard as the video becomes increasingly difficult to watch. When the victim falls silent, Shambhu Lal looks into the camera and launches into a deranged hate speech, declaring that he killed to save a woman from "love jihad". He takes the blood-soaked axe and strikes at the prone figure once more before setting it on fire.
"If I have to die, I will kill some and die," he says, making references to Ayodhya, the Padmavati film controversy and the Hindi film PK, which featured a romance between an Indian and a Pakistani. Apparently referring to Hindu-Muslim relationships, he threatens to "find each one of them and kill." "It is shocking how he killed the man and made a video of it. The accused has been arrested and a special investigation team (SIT) has been set up...Any person will be disturbed by the video," state Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria said.
