BHOPAL: Two days before Union home minister Rajnath Singh’s visit, a man and his aide were attacked by Gond tribals for allegedly slaughtering cows and bulls in Satna district of Madhya Pradesh. While one of them died, another is battling for life at a private hospital in Jabalpur.
The attack on 45-year-old tailor Riyaz and his 33-year-old aide Shakeel took place in Amgar village located near the Satna-Katni Road under Badera police station of Satna district. The incident was reported to the Dial 100 emergency call service of MP Police at around 3 am on Friday, after which both Riyaz alias Raka and Shakeel hailing from adjoining Maihar town were immediately hospitalised.
While the while doctors declared Riyaz brought dead, Shakeel was shifted to a private hospital in Jabalpur, where he is stated critical.
Four men, all belonging to the Gond tribe have been arrested for the lynching and booked for murder, attempt to murder and crime with common intent.
The cases have been also booked against the deceased and the injured under sections of the Madhya Pradesh Cow Slaughter Ban Act 2004 and the MP Cattle Preservation Act 1959 on the complaint of Pawan Singh Gond, who is among the four men arrested on Saturday for the murder.
“A case of murder, attempted murder and crime with common intent under Sections 302, 307 and 34 of IPC was lodged immediately against the accused on the complaint of critically injured Shakeel. Four accused identified as Pawan Singh Gond, Vijay Singh Gond, Phool Singh Gond and Narayan Singh Gond were arrested on Saturday and have been sent into judicial custody,” Satna district superintendent of police Rajesh Hingankar told The New Indian Express on Sunday.
Police probe has revealed that two men returning after watching a movie spotted tailor Riyaz, taxi driver Shakeel and two others Zaki and Ismail near a hillock. When the two men reached the spot, they found remains of slaughtered cattle at the spot.
The matter was informed to villagers nearby, after which an angry mob reached the spot and caught hold of Riyaz and Shakeel, while the other two managed to flee from the spot. The two men were ruthlessly beaten by the angry mob. A local resident who spotted the two men lying unconscious informed the matter to Dial 100 before switching off his phone.
Satna district police led by SP Rajesh Hingankar reached the spot in the wee hours on Friday, after which both Riyaz and Shakeel were rushed to hospital.
According to a senior police official in Satna, when the police team rushed to the spot of the alleged murder, they found heads of at least three bulls and the meat also, which has been seized.
Incidentally, the Union home minister Rajnath Singh will be visiting Satna district (around 500 km from Bhopal) on Sunday.