Internet suspended as murder triggers communal tensions in Rajasthan’s Bhilwara

The authorities in Rajasthan's Bhilwara on Wednesday suspended the internet till Thursday as Hindu groups called for a bandh over the murder of a 20-year-old man amid a series of communal clashes in the state over the last month. The Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has supported the bandh call.

Additional police forces were deployed in the town following Adarsh Tapadia's murder on Tuesday night over a dispute involving his brother.

Police superintendent Adarsh Sidhu said they have arrested three prime accused and the role of others involved in the murder was also being probed. He added Tapadia was passing through the Sanganer area when his assailants on two bikes stopped and stabbed him to death.

Mahesh Khetani, a relative of Tapadia, said around seven to eight people attacked the 20-year-old. "He was killed due to enmity. We will not take his body for last rites till the accused are arrested. The family has demanded Rs50 lakh compensation."

BJP lawmaker Vithal Shanker Avasthi said Tapadia's family is demanding compensation and that all accused be arrested first before they claim the body.

Communal violence earlier broke out over religious flags ahead of the Eid celebrations in Jodhpur's Jalori Gate last week. The situation was brought under control in the early hours on Tuesday with heavy deployment of the police before tensions escalated and prompted the authorities to suspend the internet services and impose a curfew. This was the latest in a series of communal clashes in Rajasthan.

Internet services were suspended in Bhilwara on May 5 amid communal tensions after two men were beaten and one of their bikes was set on fire. In April, communal clashes broke out in Karauli with Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot blaming the BJP for communal tensions ahead of elections in the state next year.