‘Akhlaq hit with sewing machine, tried to dial 100 but couldn’t type’

Noida: Mohammad Akhlaq had tried to call the police as a mob descended on his house in Greater Noida’s Bisada village in September 2015, but couldn’t enter the numbers in sequence in the keypad as he kept being shoved around, his daughter Shaista told a fast-track court here on Wednesday.
It was the second consecutive day that Shaista testified before the court, which is recording evidence as it conducts the trial into the September 28, 2015 lynching of Akhlaq (52). Akhlaq was beaten to death by the mob, which accused him of storing and consuming beef.
Shaista also named nine people, who she alleged had tried to prevent her and her family from rushing Danish, her brother and Akhlaq’s youngest son who was critically wounded in the mob attack, to hospital that night.
In her testimony, she said that the attack happened between 10pm and 10.30pm. She, Akhlaq and Danish were on the first floor while her mother Ikraman and grandmother Asghari were on the ground floor. The family was planning to sleep after the isha prayer. “At the same time, there was an announcement from the village temple that suspected meat was found near the transformer. The local people were urged to reach the spot,” she said.
“A mob comprising 15-20 people soon entered our house after breaking our main door. Some of them were carrying iron rods and sticks in their hands. They manhandled and attacked us. Someone hit my father with a sewing machine, and he was badly injured in the head. My father had a mobile phone and he tried to dial 100 for police help, but due to manhandling, sometimes he could type 10 and 1000 and failed to connect to the cops,” she said.
Shaista said her father managed to call a local block pramukh (BDC) and requested him to inform police. “I don’t know whether the BDC informed the police or not,” she said. “The mob started assaulting us, saying we had slaughtered a cow. They manhandled us and dragged my father to the ground floor. We do not know where they took my father. We do not know who took him to hospital. The mob left Danish at the spot, believing he was dead,” she said, adding some of those in the mob had also sprayed kerosene on the floor, but fled after hearing police sirens.
“We rushed Danish to a private hospital for treatment. When we were going to the hospital, some people (she named nine) blocked our way alleging we had thrown the meat in a black polybag (near the transformer),” she said. She added that she had informed the investigating officer (IO) so that the suspects’ names could be added, but the officer had asked her to restrict herself to what happened inside the room where Akhlaq was attacked.
Shaista said the meat in their fridge was mutton, given by a relative, which was taken away by one of the accused. She said she had never eaten beef in her lifetime. Akhlaq worked as a blacksmith in Bisada village and he had good relations with locals, she added.
Shaista also sought a probe into the age of one of the juvenile accused.
Mohit Yadav, the defence lawyer representing five accused – Vinay, Shivam, Sandeep, Punit and Hariom – said that Shaista was cross-examined. “She replied to some questions and for some others, she said she does not remember. The cross-examination will continue on Friday,” he said.
Four defence lawyers are representing the 13 adult suspects in the case. There are three juvenile suspects. Two more suspects have died since they were incarcerated.
Yusuf Saifi, counsel for Akhlaq’s family, said that the next hearing has been scheduled for June 17. “The defence lawyers may cross examine Shaista on Friday. After that, other witnesses including Shaista’s mother, grandmother and brother will record their statements,” he said.