Shocking videos of a Muslim man stripped of his shirt and being hit with belts by a mob have once again reminded social media of the hate prevailing in Uttar Pradesh. The man, a driver, was being beaten because the accused suspected him of “carrying beef” or “smuggling cattle” in his vehicle. The self-appointed mob of “cow vigilantes” attacked the hapless driver in Raal village of Mathura, Uttar Pradesh. The victim was identified as Mohammad Aamir, a driver of a pick-up van.
According to news reports, police have booked 16 identified people, including Vikash Sharma and Balram Thakur who are reportedly members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP).
Three Men mercilessly thrashed on the suspension of smuggling cattle by #Cow vigilantes in #Mathura’s Raal village of UP. The victim (video) identified as a driver of a pick-up van, Mohammad Aamir. 16 identified people, including Vikash Sharma and Balram Thakur from VHP booked. + pic.twitter.com/k4bogNeNKm
— Akhlad khan (@BawaNaaved) March 21, 2022
थाना जैत पुलिस द्वारा किया गया सराहनीय कार्य।
➡️दिनांक 20/03/2022 को ग्राम राल में हुयी घटित मारपीट की घटना में वांछित 04 अभियुक्तगण को किया गिरफ्तार । pic.twitter.com/H1CsIJKTHM— MATHURA POLICE (@mathurapolice) March 22, 2022
According to a report in The Times of India, the Muslim driver was attacked on Sunday night in Mathura by the mob. The attackers had appointed themselves vigilantes and decided to attack the driver as they “suspected” that he was carrying beef and smuggling cows in his vehicle. Aamir, was cornered and thrashed in what looks like a shed or room even though he begs to be spared with folded hands.
According to the police, the victim was merely transporting carcasses during a cleanliness drive of Nagar Panchayat Govardhan area of the district. Martand Prakash Singh, superintendent of police, Mathura issued a public statement that once Rameshwar Valmiki, a resident of the Govardhan area in Mathura, who has been licensed by the district panchayat to dispose of animal carcasses “sent the vehicle from Mathura to a nearby district… Our initial inquiry has not found any cows or beef inside the vehicle.”
थाना जैत क्षेत्रान्तर्गत कस्बा राल में घटित घटना के सम्बन्ध में अपर पुलिस अधीक्षक नगर, मथुरा द्वारा दी गई बाइट। pic.twitter.com/IRz16HRFY9
— MATHURA POLICE (@mathurapolice) March 21, 2022
Police told the media that two first information reports were filed, one based on the complaint filed by the victim Aamir, and the second by Vikas Sharma, who claims to be the “convenor of Gau Raksha Vibhag of Hindutva outfit Vishwa Hindu Parishad” reported TOI.
Sharma and his VHP associate one Balram Thakur, alleged that they “were beaten up by the villagers when they reached the spot and were asking about the incident,” according to news reports. They were reportedly attacked because “the villagers mistook both of them to be Aamir’s associates,” added the news report. These two are among the 16 booked by the police under Sections 147 (rioting), 307 (attempt to murder), 504 (intentional insult to provoke breach of the peace), among others of the Indian Penal Code based on Aamir’s complaint.
According to TOI, the police also acted on Sharma’s complaint accusing villagers of attacking him, and “14 identified people and 150 unidentified ones were booked” under relevant IPC sections. According to police said the Muslim man has been admitted to the hospital for treatment, and four accused were arrested on March 21.
थाना जैत पुलिस द्वारा किया गया सराहनीय कार्य।
➡️दिनांक 20/03/2022 को ग्राम राल में हुयी घटित मारपीट की घटना में वांछित 04 अभियुक्तगण को किया गिरफ्तार । pic.twitter.com/H1CsIJKTHM— MATHURA POLICE (@mathurapolice) March 22, 2022
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