The killing in broad-daylight of Kamlesh Tiwari has caused massive outrage across the state and on social media.
He was killed in Lucknow, the state capital of Uttar Pradesh.
Angered by the killing, Hindus are demanding the immediate arrest of the suspected killers captured on CCTV before fleeing the murder scene in Lucknow.
Tiwari has been facing threats on his life since 2015 over his allegedly inflammatory remarks about Muslims and the Prophet Mohammed.
Hours after daylight murder of "Hindu Samaj Party" leader Kamlesh Tiwari in Lucknow, this is what UP CM Yogi Adityanath told a gathering in state's Saharanpur district while campaigning for bypolls. pic.twitter.com/px2U0fcpd1
— Piyush Rai (@Benarasiyaa) October 18, 2019
There is deep resentment among people in the Hindu community, some of them even making calls on social media for citizens not to rely on the local administration ahead of the most important Hindu festival of lights, Diwali.
In the murder of Kamlesh Tiwari, Indian state is the ‘first criminal’ that arrested him under ‘National Security Act’ to enforce blasphemy law. While it did nothing against those who openly called for his murder.
— Abhinav Prakash (@Abhina_Prakash) October 18, 2019
Hindu Samaj Party leader #KamleshTiwari got murdered.
— Ashu (@muglikar_) October 18, 2019
Dear @myogiadityanath
We need to know
1. Who killed him
2. Why did they kill him. Is it because of earlier blasphemy case agnst him
3. Why was no security given to him.
4. Will UP Police be held accountable.
I am appalled at the security lapse in case of #KamleshTiwari. We all know what wanted him dead. How was he not given state security? This is a huge law and order lapse @myogiadityanath govt needs to ensure his killers are caught at the earliest.
— Shefali Vaidya ஷெஃபாலி வைத்யா शेफाली वैद्य (@ShefVaidya) October 18, 2019
#KamleshTiwari 's assassination:
— Kiran Kumar S (@KiranKS) October 18, 2019
1) Knife used first even when gun was available.
2) Friday afternoon.
3) Just before #AyodhyaVerdict
Focus on the messaging...
Read this carefully. An Islamist is openly provoking, taunting and triumphantly celebrating a murder. Now if someone so much as abuses him on Twitter, his lackey media will start an intolerance campaign. This is exactly what some people had done after Godhra to provoke riots https://t.co/gkvEkvMLGH
— Sanjay Dixit ಸಂಜಯ್ ದೀಕ್ಷಿತ್ संजय दीक्षित (@Sanjay_Dixit) October 18, 2019
People have been reminding the government of the threat to Kamlesh Tiwari since 2015 when more than 100,000 Muslims gathered in Muzaffarnagar- a Muslims dominated town, 83 miles from Delhi to protest against him.
After the protest march, a Muslim cleric announced an Rs.51,00,000 ( approx..$72,000) reward for Tiwari's head. People are now demanding that the state government led by Hindu leader Yogi Adityanath arrest the cleric.
This was the "Fatwa", 👇 Muslims released for #KamleshTiwari when he had reciprocrated Azam Khan in his own language..
— Meera Singh (@meeraremi11) October 18, 2019
Now I feel Yogi Govt got him jailed bcz of safety reasons under NSA! pic.twitter.com/HAuUwjYgR0
Peaceful have shown once again that how peaceful and tolerant they are, however UP Government is still ignorant to the fact.#KamleshTiwari
— AG (@AmBoozed) October 18, 2019
Owaisi's AIMIM Delhi Muslim Leaders Threatening #kamleshTiwari In 2015.
— Narendra Sharma (@narendrasharrma) October 18, 2019
UP Police Must Act Against These. pic.twitter.com/FueTUX2MrI
This is your state, @myogiadityanath-ji. This is your police, your intelligence. Your government knew what level of threat to life #KamleshTiwari faced.
— Abhijit Majumder (@abhijitmajumder) October 18, 2019
The full weight of Kamlesh’s corpse is on your regime’s shoulders, sir.
Progressive countries: Abolish blasphemy law
— Monica (@TrulyMonica) October 18, 2019
Indian mobs: We will deal with blasphemy according to Sharia laws#KamleshTiwari
As per the CCTV video of the murder, the killers visited Tiwari’s office in Lucknow in saffron-colored clothing on the pretext of handing over a box of sweets. Soon after walking in, the assailants opened the box, took out a firearm, sprayed Tiwari with bullets and fled.