Alwar lynching: Lalawandi village on well-known cow smuggling route

LALAWANDI, ALWAR: According to the police, from the spot where the alleged mob lynching took place in Kolgaon, the Haryana border is 12 kilometres by foot, if one takes a path through farms, avoiding the main road.

“It is a well-known fact that Lalawandi and the adjoining three villages have become a safe passage for cow smugglers to operate as the Haryana border is very near and the jurisdiction of Rajasthan Police ends at Kolgaon. Now, Rakhbar also had a case registered against him last year for the same, whether he was doing the same is up to the investigation, but the law should not be taken in one’s own hands,” said Sanjay Kapoor, manager of Shree Digambar Jain Sudhasagar Gaushala. According to Kapoor, all the 384 cattle he has were provided to him by police stations.

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As per the process, after seizing the bovine animals in cases of smuggling, police have to register an FIR and present a copy of it to the manager. In return, a receipt is provided detailing the number of animals and the date and time of the admission. As per the report of the veterinarian, both the cows are non-milking, one being of a local breed and aged three years, the other being a foreign breed and aged six years. Both the animals are healthy, although both have injury marks on their legs and under the horns.

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“Rajinder Singh, Superintendent of Police, Alwar, who visited the spot, said: “We have identified more people in the case.” Asked about any lax attitude on the part of the police, he said, “Anyone found guilty of involvement in the crime will be dealt with strictly”.

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28-year-old Akbar Khan along with his friend was taking some cows to his village through a forest near Lalawandi area in the Alwar district of Rajasthan when some locals allegedly thrashed him brutally, suspecting him to be a cow smuggler.

The police immediately rushed the victim to a nearby hospital, where he was declared brought dead.

Police have, so far, arrested two suspects and launched a manhunt for other suspects.

In a similar incident, 50-year-old Pehlu Khan was beaten to death by cow vigilantes in the same district in April last year.

Just on Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged state governments to take stringent action against the culprits of mob lynching.

The cases of mob fury have been on a rise in India. According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, 45 persons were killed by mob in 40 cases across nine states between 2014 and March 03 this year. 

(With agency inputs)