NOIDA: The Noida police on Wednesday filed charge sheet naming 15 people in three months back case of mob lynching of Mohmad Akhlaq in Uttar Pradesh's Dadri. The police have also arrested two more people related to the case taking the total number of arrest to 17 on Wednesday.
According to the police the charge sheet was filed in the District Court Gautam Budh Nagar naming 15 people arrested till Monday, an additional sheet naming four people will be filed soon after the police arrests two more absconding involved in bludgeoning Aklaq, critically injuring his son Danish and hurting their family for rumors of allegedly slaughtering a cow and eating beef.
The police had said that the mob was instigated by young men linked to local BJP leader Sanjay Rana; one of the 19 accused is his son Vishal. Sources say the police charge sheet does not mention the word "beef".
“We have filed the names to the court; the court will take further cognizance of the case. Out of the total 19 accused only one is a minor, all the rest will be tried as adults” Anurag Singh Circle Officer Dadri told Express.
The latest two arrested are identified Bheem a tractor operator and Punit a student, who were nabbed in Bisara, total 19 people are accused in the case.The two absconding are Sachin-student and Puneet all in mid twenties.
The lynching episode On September 28 which was condemned across the nation and the world, Akhlaq, 52, was dragged out of his home and beaten to death by a mob after announcements were made at a local temple that a calf had been killed.
The Akhlaq family now stays in Chennai with Mohammad's older son, an Indian Air Force man.
Opposition parties targeted the BJP over the incident and called it an example of growing intolerance in the country.
Responding to the criticism, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at a rally in Bihar last month: "In a democracy everyone has the right to speak their mind. But Hindus must decide whether they want to fight Muslims or poverty. Muslims must decide whether they want to fight Hindus or poverty."