The Gujarat Anti Terrorist Squad on Sunday arrested a cleric from New Delhi in connection with the killing of a 30-year-old man in Dhandhuka town of Ahmedabad district on Tuesday reportedly over an offensive social media post.
The arrest comes days after four persons, including a local cleric, were arrested for the murder of Kishan Boliya. The ATS had been tasked with probing the “larger conspiracy” behind the case.
The cleric arrested on Sunday was identified as Qamar Gani Usmani. “After questioning, he has been placed under arrest. So far, five persons have been arrested in connection with the case,” a top ATS official said.
Officials said the cleric ran an organisation named the Tahreek Farogh-e-Islami.
However, they did not divulge any details about his role in the murder of Kishan, which has triggered Statewide reactions from Hindu outfits.
Officials maintained that the cleric used to circulate videos of speeches to instigate youth from the minority community to target those who insult Islam.
Usmani is also said to have prepared a list of people who wrote blasphemous posts on social media and instigated youth to target them.
