"Gau Rakshak" Hooligans Turned Terrorists, Killed A Dairy Farmer (Not A Smuggler)

The 55-year-old Muslim man, who was beaten to death four days ago by a group of Gau Rakshaks turned terrorists in Alwar of Rajasthan, has been found to be a dairy farmer, not a cattle smuggler.

According to a report by the Indian Express, the deceased, Pehlu Khan had plans to buy a milch buffalo before setting out from Mewat to Jaipur last Friday. As he was a dairy farmer, he wanted to increase the production of milk during Ramazan. But on Saturday, Khan bought a milch cow instead, as the seller extracted 12 litres of milk in front of him, and offered to sell the cow for a reasonable price.

His two sons Irshad and Aarif were with Khan in the same minivan when the Gau Rakshaks attacked them in Behror area of Alwar, on National Highway 8, on Saturday evening. They recall how they were dragged out of their vehicle and assaulted with sticks and belts. The police came about 20-30 minutes later by the time they were laying unconscious.

The Gau Rakshaks had accused them of illegally smuggling cows for slaughter, though they had receipts to show that the animals had been purchased for Rs 45,000. The vigilantes also robbed them of Rs 35,000. They, however, let the driver of the minivan — Arjun — go free.

However, the police registered an FIR against the victims for illegally transporting cattle for slaughter, based on a complaint filed by a man named Damodar Singh, said the report. The FIR states that Khan and his friends did not have a purchase document or receipt. Irshad had shown the receipt bearing a stamp of the Jaipur Municipal Corporation (serial number 89942 dated April 1, 2017). Even the Home Minister of Rajasthan, Gulab Chand Kataria, has shockingly defended the lynch mob – describing them as Gau Bhakts (cow protectors) – and blamed the victims.

Ironically, The Centre has denied the incident. Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of state for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Thursday said that no such incident, as reported by media, took place in Alwar. For Mr Naqvi, we are attaching one of the clips of the video here.

मकसद गाय को बचाना नहीं मुस्लिमो को मारना लगता है,
ड्राइवर अर्जुन को भगा दिया और खान की जान ले ली pic.twitter.com/FkOubu2iXO @Maddy_Saheb

— Ravish Kumar (@ravishndtvs) April 5, 2017

According to The Indian Express, Three persons have been arrested in connection with the death of Khan who was brutally beaten up by cow vigilantes in Rajasthan’s Alwar district, police said on Thursday.

The Logical Indian Take

It has been found out that the man who was lynched was a dairy farmer. Even if he was not a dairy farmer but cow smuggler, does it give anyone the right to beat him up? There should be a level of fear drawn into the mind of people that should remind them of the laws they are bound to follow. These are terrorists who spread terror in the name of cow vigilantism.

At the same time statements of ministers only shows how they are ready to absolve the terrorists of their crimes. The political fraternity needs to condemn it at one voice.