ReutersThe murder of a Hindu man in the northern Indian state of Rajasthan has sparked religious tensions in the area.
The victim, a tailor named Kanhaiya Lal, was killed in Udaipur district on Tuesday by two Muslim men, who filmed the act and posted it online.
They claimed the act was in retaliation for the victim's support for controversial remarks made by a politician on the Prophet Muhammad.
The government has suspended internet services and banned large gatherings.
Police have arrested the two men, who had identified themselves in the video.
In another video, they boasted about the murder and also issued threats to Prime Minister Narendra Modi while brandishing cleavers. A top Rajasthan police official asked media outlets not to broadcast the video of the murder as it was "too grisly to watch".
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has appealed to people to stay calm.
The federal government has asked the National Investigative Agency - India's top anti-terrorism agency - to investigate the incident.
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 men posed as customers to enter Kanhaiya Lal's shop, and attacked him while he was taking their measurements.
The victim had allegedly put up a social media post supporting former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Nupur Sharma, who made controversial comments about the Prophet Muhammad last month.
Her comments sparked a diplomatic row with several Islamic countries registering strong protests with India. The BJP subsequently suspended Ms Sharma from the party.
The controversy also led to religious protests in India which turned violent after demonstrators threw stones and damaged public property.
'All that's happened is a big shock'
Nitin Srivastava, BBC Hindi, Udaipur
India's lake city Udaipur is in complete shutdown. Mobile internet services have been stopped and a stringent curfew is in place with a heavy police presence all around.
Tensions are clearly visible between majority Hindus and minority Muslims who live and work next to each other in the densely-populated city. Security was tight for Kanhaiya Lal's funeral, which was attended by thousands.
Most people weren't willing to speak on camera, but the few who did appeared clearly divided along religious lines.
"We are staying in a mostly Hindu country so this shouldn't have happened. I would ask Prime Minister Modi to look into the matter so that it does not happen again," marketing executive Jaipal Verma said.
Most people were unprepared for a curfew, with many now struggling to get hold of even basic rations.
"Daily wagers are worst affected," said Mukesh Gardiya, a local man. "All that's happened is a big shock."
Three weeks before his murder, Kanhaiya Lal had been arrested by the police for allegedly hurting religious feelings, the Indian Express reported. He had asked for police protection after his release, citing threats to his life.
The police then called some Hindus and Muslims for a peace meeting, after which Kanhaiya Lal said he didn't "need any more action against any one", a police official told the newspaper.
The incident has been condemned by prominent politicians across party lines in India.
Former Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje, who belongs to the BJP, blamed Mr Gehlot's Congress party government, saying "a situation of communal frenzy and violence has arisen in the state".
Some BJP leaders have said they will march in the national capital Delhi to protest against the killing.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said he was "deeply shocked" by the murder and called for immediate punishment for the attackers.
Some prominent Muslim organisations have also condemned the murder. The All India Muslim Personal Law Board called the incident "highly condemnable", adding that it was against both Indian law as well as Islamic strictures.
"Nobody can be allowed to take the law into their hands and declaring someone a criminal and then murdering them is a highly condemnable act," the board said in a statement.
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June 29, 2022 at 09:12PM
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