Man lynched on suspicion of cow smuggling

Aman was allegedly lynched on Saturday in Rajasthan’s Alwar district by a group of people who accused him of smuggling cows, police said on Saturday.

Akbar Khan, 28, and his friend Aslam were taking two cows to their village in Haryana through a forested area near Lalawandi in Alwar district on Friday night when five men attacked them, Ramgarh police station SHO Subhash Sharma said. Khan narrated the incident to policemen who arrived at the spot. He died on the way to a government hospital in Ramgarh.

They suspected that Khan was smuggling cows but the allegation is yet to be verified, Sharma said.

The police arrested two men, even as Rajasthan chief Minister Vasundhara Raje promised stern action in the case. Khan’s family members have demanded quick action in the case.

“We want justice. The culprits should be arrested soon,” his father Suleman said.

Jaipur range Inspector General Hemant Priyadarshi said two of the accused, Dharmendra Yadav and Paramjeet Singh Sardar, have been arrested.

According to the victim’s last statement, he was thrashed by five people, the official said. Others involved in the attack will be arrested soon, he said at a press conference. He said Khan and his friend Aslam had reportedly purchased the cows from Ladpur village and were taking them to Kolgaon in Nuh district in Haryana when they were beaten up.

Khan’s friend Aslam escaped from the mob, and his statement was yet to be recorded, police said this afternoon. Prima facie, Khan died due to internal injuries and it was under investigation whether he and Aslam had any past record of cow smuggling, Priyadarshini said.

 Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje condemned the lynching. “The incident of alleged lynching of a person transporting bovines in Alwar district is condemnable. Strictest possible action shall be taken against the perpetrators,” she said.

Rajasthan Congress chief Sachin Pilot too blamed the BJP Government, saying killing of people on “suspicion” is sadly becoming a norm in BJP-ruled states.