Swedish artist who drew blasphemous sketches killed in car crash

Swedish artist Lars Vilks, who stirred worldwide controversy in 2007 with blasphemous sketches of Holy Prophet (PBUH) was killed in a car crash near the southern town of Markaryd on Sunday, police said.

Vilks, 75, who had been living under police protection since the blasphemous drawings were published, was travelling in a police vehicle which collided with a truck. Two police officers were also killed.

"This is a very tragic incident. It is now important to all of us that we do everything we can to investigate what happened and what caused the collision," Swedish police said in a statement on Monday.

"Initially, there is nothing that points to anyone else being involved."

Since the publication of the blasphemous drawings, Vilks had been living under round-the-clock police guard following threats against his life.

He had a bounty put on his head and his house was fire-bombed.