Rajasthan: Cow Vigilantes Run Over A Minor, 3 Arrested for Murder
September 14, 2021
The lynching of Rakbar Khan in 2018 that caught national attention had also taken place in the same city
Team Clarion
NEW DELHI — A Muslim minor was killed after being run over by a vehicle that the family alleged was being driven by cow vigilantes who were chasing a truck allegedly carrying cows in Rajasthan.
According to The Indian Express, the family of the 17-year-old filed a police complaint alleging that their son was killed by self-styled gau rakshaks.
The incident took place in Chupanki police station area in Bhiwadi in Alwar district near Rajasthan-Haryana border on September 12. The victim has been identified by police as Sabir Khan, a student of class 11.
The lynching of Rakbar Khan in 2018 that caught national attention had also taken place in Alwar when he was assaulted by cow vigilantes while transporting milch cows on foot to his home in Haryana’s Kolgaon. In 2017, cow vigilantes lynched Pehlu Khan in Alwar.
Following a complaint by Sabir’s family, police filed a case of murder against seven persons and nabbed three of them.
The family alleges in the complaint that 4-5 days ago Sabir had an argument with one Anil over rash driving.
“On that day, Anil had threatened my nephew and his companions that ‘after today if I see you running on this road, then I will run you down with this car and you won’t be able to do anything to me because I have relationships with Gauraksha Dal and Bajrangbal (sic)’,” Indian Express quoted the FIR lodged by Sabir’s uncle after the incident.
After mowing down Sabir, the accused also reminded his friends of the prior threat.
“Each day, several of our friends would go for running on that road. Some time back, we had an argument with Anil, a resident of a nearby village, when we asked him not to overspeed since we run on that road. Anil had threatened us at that time. He works with the Bajrang Dal. On Sunday morning, after running over Sabir, he slowed down the car and told me, I have run over your brother, now you know me,” said 20-year-old Mohammed Alim, Sabir’s friend, who was present at the time of the incident.
Anil first hit Sabir with his car and then another car driven by his friends drove over him, Alim said.
Hari Ram Kumawat, Bhiwadi Circle officer, has said a truck, which was allegedly carrying 15 cows, rammed into a tree and stopped in the Tauru area of Nuh district of Haryana. Haryana Police has also reportedly opened a probe into the claim of smuggling of cows.
Sabir’s family alleged that police were trying to suppress the case.
