A court in Latehar district of Jharkhand found eight men guilty on December 19 for killing two Muslim cattle traders in 2016, reported Hindustan Times. The duo 13-year-old Imteyaz Khan and 32-year-old Mazlum Ansari were beaten up and later hanged from a tree. This incident was the first case of cow vigilantism reported in Jharkhand. The ghastly incident which is popularly known as “Latehar Lynching” was witnessed by three locals – Munauwar Ansari (brother of Mazlum), Mohammad Nizamuddin, and Azad Khan(father of Imteyaz).
The two were heading towards an animal fair to sell their last batch of eight oxen when they were allegedly lynched and hanged by a mob in Balumath, Jharkhand. This particular area was witnessing an ongoing dispute over eating beef and cattle trade over some time. The disturbing incident triggered a series of protests in the state, with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in support of the incident. According to an article published by India Spend, around 97% of these bovine related issues were reported after BJP rose to power in 2014. Nearly half of the attacks happened in states ruled by the Central government.
Eight remanded in jail waits for the quantum of punishment to be pronounced
After hearing the case, Judicial magistrate Rishikesh Kumar on Wednesday sent the eight convicts, Pramod Kumar Sahu, Mithilesh Prasad Sahu, Awadesh Sahu, Manoj Kumar Sahu, Vishal Tiwary, Shahdev Soni, Arun Sao, and Manoj Sahu to jail. According to the Hindustan Times report, five of them which included a member of local cow protection vigilante group were arrested within 24 hours of the incident. Three at-large later surrendered to a local court. However, they were then granted bail. These five hailed from Jhabar village which is around 100 kilometres from Ranchi. The eight convicted will be remanded in jail until the quantum of punishment is pronounced later this week.
Supreme Court asks Parliament to enforce a law to prevent mob violence
News Click reported that the family of the victims had previously alleged that the lynching was pre-planned and not spontaneous. Series of cow slaughtering cases across the nation have compelled the Supreme Court to ask Parliament to pass a law to curb such mob violence. The then Chief Justice Dipak Mishra along with justices Dy Chandrachud and AM Khanwilkar said that such horrendous acts of mobocracy are not acceptable.
Bivone Crimes that happened after Latehar Lynching case In Jharkhand
Soon after the Latehar Lynching case, in 2017, four cattle traders were lynched by a mob in Seraikela Kharsawan district. After one month, Usman Ansari was attacked, and his house was set on fire. Ansari who was the dairy owner was assaulted after a headless cow carcass was found near his residence.
A trader, who was accused of transporting beef in Ramgarh district was lynched in June 2017. A local court pronounced life imprisonment for 11 charged in the case. However, ten of them were granted bail. Another incident in 2017, left the citizens of the country in utter shock when three houses of a man were set ablaze by a mob. The man was suspected to have slaughtered a cow on the eve of Eid in Giridh district.
2017 Considered being the worst year
India spends reported that in the first half of the year, 18 cows related violence were reported. This is almost 75% of the figure from 2016. These attacks included an attempt to murder, murder, mob lynching, attacks by vigilantes, gang-rape, assault, and harassment.
Also Read: Jharkhand: Replacing Guns With Pen & Chalk, CRPF Jawans Teach Students In Govt Schools
