Before the state assembly election in Haryana, the state witnessed horrific killings of two innocent by self-proclaimed ‘Gau Rakshak’ (Cow-vigilante group). In tragic incidents allegedly committed by self-proclaimed members of ‘Gau Raksha Dal’ in Haryana, a migrant worker from West Bengal was allegedly lynched on August 27 in Haryana’s Charkhi Dadri district over suspicion of eating beef and on August 24, a 19-year-old, 12th class student was shot dead over suspicion of cattle smuggling, chased by cow vigilantes for 30 kilometres in Haryana’s Palwal district.
Background
Migrant Worker Lynched in Charkhi Dadri, Haryana
On August 27, the migrant worker from West Bengal, 26-year-old Sabir Malik, working as a scrap dealer lynched by cow-vigilantes over suspicion of eating beef. While the incident took place at a village bus stand in Charkhi Dadri on August 27. It was reported that another migrant from Assam was also injured in this incident, brutally beaten by members of ‘cow vigilant groups’ in Haryana. Sabir is survived by his wife and two-year-old daughter.
On August 27, a group of young men came to Sabir’s shop, a scrap dealer living in a slum area near Badhra village, and took Sabir to the local bus stand claiming that they had some scrap to dispose. The accused also called another migrant, Assam native Aseeruddin, to the bus stand and allegedly beat up the duo there. When passers-by intervened, they took the two to some other location on their motorcycles. Sabir was later found dead near a canal in Bhandwa village. Aseeruddin was found dumped at another location and is currently under treatment in hospital, reported The Hindu.
All accused are associated with the ‘Gau Raksha Dal’. However, on September 1 (Sunday), police have arrested eight accused in this incident, associated in the murder of Sabir. The police increased security in the area to prevent unrest or any untoward incident. The arrested individuals are identified as Abhishek, Ravinder, Mohit, Kamaljeet, and Sahil and others.
According to Hindustan Times, Badhra deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Bharat Bhushan the incident occurred on August 27 when cow vigilantes received information that a group of migrant workers from Assam, residing in Hansawas village, were suspected of consuming beef. They visited the area to investigate the matter.
“Sabir was also staying in the same village. During inspection, meat was found in utensils, which was sent to a laboratory to confirm if it was beef. Hours later, these youths called Sabir and his aide Aseeruddin to a shop in Badhra on the pretext of selling empty plastic bottles and started thrashing them. While Aseeruddin managed to flee, the accused took Malik to the nearby Bhandwa village and assaulted him again, as a result of which he died,” DSP Bhushan said.
The video of the incident has gone viral on social media where a mob can be seen beating two migrants’ workers with sticks on allegation of eating beef.
People revere cows, who can stop them: Haryana CM Saini
Haryana Chief Minister, Nayab Singh Sain while reacting to the incident said that there is no compromise on it as strict law has been passed by the Haryana Assembly on cow protection. He said that “It is not the right thing to say things like mob lynching as a strict law has been passed by the Haryana Assembly for cow protection. There is no compromise on it, such incidents shouldn’t happen and these are unfortunate.” CM Saini stated that people in Haryana revere cows and if they sense any untoward situation.
While condemning the tragic incident of lynching, Saini said that people should not to get involved in such incidents. The CM further added that it’s not right to label such incidents as ‘mob lynching’, reported The Tribune.
However, Nuh Congress MLA Aftab Ahmed criticized the BJP rule-Haryana government over the incident and said that “There is nothing called law and order in Haryana. Anti-social element, goons and criminal are moving freely under the garb of cow protection and vigilantes.”
19-yr-old shot dead by cow vigilantes after 30-km car chase in Haryana
On August 24, a Class 12th student, identified as Aryan Mishra was shot dead in Haryana’s Faridabad after being suspicious of a cattle smuggler. The Victim, Aryan Mishra was chased for around 30 kilometres by a five-member group of “Gau Raksha Dal” before being killed him. All of the accused were subsequently arrested by the Faridabad Police.
As report in the Indian Express, on the night of August 23, 19-year-old Aryan went out with his friends Harshit and Shanky in an SUV for a meal. The gang, identified as cow vigilantes, during investigation told police that they had received information about cattle smugglers and mistakenly believed Aryan and his friends were involved. Faridabad Police arrested suspects Anil Kaushik, Varun, Krishna, Adesh, and Saurav in this matter.
Aryan was killed because cow vigilante assumed he was Muslim
It was reported that Aryan Mishra was killed by the group because they believed Aryan was a Muslim, his mother has expressed sorrow and confusion. Aryan’s mother Uma Mishra while reacting on the question of the reason behind Aryan’s killing, she said “The accused mistook him as a Muslim and killed him. Why? Aren’t Muslims human?
Aryan’s mother further questioned that “Why do you need to kill Muslims?”
Link:
She is the mother of #AryanMishra, who was shot dead by #Hindutva extremists in #Faridabad, #Haryana.
She said her son was shot because he was mistaken for a #Muslim.
“Aren’t #Muslims our brothers? Why would they kill a Muslim? Who gave them the authority to kill a Muslim?” She… pic.twitter.com/eLueoN813t
— Hate Detector 🔍 (@HateDetectors) September 4, 2024
Newslaundry reported that the Faridabad Police has rejected this theory of mistaken identity. ACP Aman Yadav insisted the incident merely a “claim of the media: and said that “the motive behind the murder has not yet been revealed”.
Accused Anil Kaushik said wanted a life like Monu Manesar
In a report by The Tribune, Anil Kaushik (38), the main accused in the killing of Aryan Mishra revealed during the police interrogation that he has always wanted a life like Monu Manesar (serial hate offender and accused of multiple mob lynching in Haryana and Rajasthan).
“Kaushik always wanted to be like Monu Manesar. He had tried many times to enter the core Bajrang Dal or Gau Raksha groups but was not taken seriously by them. He made his own Live for Nation Sangathan, a Faridabad cow vigilante group. Kaushik wanted social media following like Manesar and believed that if he managed to get one Bollywood-style chase and catch a cattle smuggler, he would make it. Kaushik would often get himself clicked with guns,” said one of his close associates now being probed by the Faridabad police.
However, multiple videos and photos circulated on social media revealing Kaushik’s nexus with Monu Manesar and his associates.
Rahul Gandhi criticized the BJP government over violence against Muslims
While highlighting the recent mob lynching and assault incidents, Leader of Opposition and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has targeted the BJP government by posting on X regarding mob lynching. He said that such miscreants have been given a free hand in the BJP government.
He wrote on social media platform X that “Those who have climbed the ladder of power by using hatred as a political weapon are continuously establishing the rule of fear in the country. The hateful elements hiding in the form of the mob are openly spreading violence, challenging the rule of law. These miscreants have got a free hand from the BJP government, that is why they have developed the courage to do so.”
He further added that “there are continuous attacks on minorities, especially Muslims, and the government machinery is watching as a mute spectator. The authority of the law should be established by taking the strictest action against such anarchist elements. Any attack on the communal unity of India and the rights of Indians is an attack on the Constitution, which we will not tolerate at all. No matter how much the BJP tries – we will win this historic battle to unite India against hatred at any cost.”
नफ़रत को राजनीतिक हथियार बनाकर सत्ता की सीढ़ी चढ़ने वाले देश भर में लगातार भय का राज स्थापित कर रहे हैं।
भीड़ की शक्ल में छिपे हुए नफरती तत्व कानून के राज को चुनौती देते हुए खुलेआम हिंसा फैला रहे हैं।
भाजपा सरकार से इन उपद्रवियों को खुली छूट मिली हुई है, इसीलिए उनमें ऐसा कर… pic.twitter.com/WDadyNn1Mt
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) September 1, 2024
Self-claimed cow vigilante and killing of innocents in Haryana
Haryana has witnessed yet another gruesome incident of mob lynching, highlighting the state’s alarming rise in vigilantism and police inaction. The incident underscores the failure of Haryana’s law enforcement agencies to prevent such atrocities. Critics point to the police’s tardy response and alleged collusion with extortion gangs, such as the notorious Monu Manser gang, which has been linked to several lynching incidents, the Haryana Gauvansh Sanrakshan and Gausamvardhan Act, 2015, cited only as a justification for violence and cover up of the incidents in state committed by self-proclaimed ‘Gau Rakshak’.
Related:
Mob Lynching in 2020: Misleading Exception than a Norm
Remembering 15-Year-Old Junaid A Year After He Was Lynched
The Idea Of India in the times of Mob Lynchings