The 2017 Alwar mob lynching was the attack and murder of Pehlu Khan, a dairy farmer from Nuh district of Haryana, allegedly by a group of 200 cow vigilantes affiliated with right-wing Hindutva groups in Behror in Alwar, Rajasthan, India on 1 April, 2017.[3][4][5] Six others who were with Pehlu Khan were also beaten by the cow vigilantes.[6][7]
| 2017 Alwar mob lynching | |
|---|---|
 Outskirts of the Alwar city, 2008 | |
  Alwar Alwar (India) | |
| Location | Behror, Alwar, Rajasthan, India |
| Coordinates | 27°20′N 76°23′E / 27.34°N 76.38°E |
| Date | 1 April 2017[1] |
| Target | Muslim cattle traders |
Attack type | Lynching |
| Deaths | 1 |
| Injured | 6 |
| Perpetrators | Mobs affiliated with right-wing Hindutva groups[2] |
No. of participants | 200 |
Background
editCows are considered sacred in Hinduism and several Indian states ban their slaughter including Haryana, the home state of the victim, and Rajasthan, where the lynching took place. There have been instances of cattle theft in India and several Hindu vigilante groups have arisen, especially during the administration of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, in the name of protecting cattle from theft. These vigilante groups have extra-judicially targeted people suspected of cattle smuggling, though most victims of such violence have been Muslim livestock traders. At the time of the attack, Rajasthan and the neighboring state of Haryana were ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party, and cow vigilante groups were particularly active in these states.[8]
Incident
editThe victim was Pehlu Khan, a 55-year old resident Jaisinghpur village, in Nuh tehsil of Mewat. On 31 March, he left his village for Jaipur to purchase dairy cattle. Khan was one of only 10 dairy farmers in his village, and he was hoping to increase milk production for the upcoming holy month of Ramadan.[9]
On 1 April, Khan, along with six others, was returning from Jaipur to his village in Nuh, Haryana, carrying cows and calves. They were allegedly stopped near Jaguwas crossing near Behror at the Jaipur-Delhi national highway by 200 cow vigilantes. Khan showed a Jaipur civic document as proof the cows had been bought for milk.[3] According to Irshad, the son of Pehlu Khan who with him, "We had all the relevant papers to show that we were carrying the cows for dairy farming.[10] We showed them the receipt of sale and purchase. But they were in no mood to listen to us. They tore our documents and attacked my father in front of my eyes."[11]
Despite the documentation, Khan and others were dragged out of their vehicles.[12] The mob beat them with rods and sticks and captured the violence on video.[12] Pehlu Khan died from his injuries days later on 3 April, 2017, whilst others, though seriously injured, survived.[6][8]
The perpetrators also reportedly robbed the victims of their cellphones and wallets (the victims said they lost Rs. 110,000).[9][12]
Arrests and trial
editAn F.I.R. was filed at the local Behror police station by Khan against six identified and 200 unidentified persons. Though arrests were only made on 5 April, after Khan's death two days prior, when the Rajasthan Police arrested three people; Kalu Ram, Vipin Yadav and Ravindra Yadav on the basis of video footage recorded by the assailants, they were subsequently granted bail in the following months. Further arrests of Dayanand Yadav and Neeraj Yadav were made on 8 April.[6][13]
The case was ultimately transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department-Crime Branch (CID-CB) after multiple delays and changes in four investigating officers. In the final report submitted to the police on September 1, the CID exonerated the six persons - the aforementioned and another Bheem Rathi. In the chargesheet submitted by the police to the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate of Behror in May, 2019, they also reportedly charged Khan's two sons and his transporter under the Rajasthan Bovine Animal (Prohibition of Slaughter and Regulation of Temporary Migration or Export) Act, 1995. This was denied by the Chief Minister of Rajasthan Ashok Gehlot and the charges were withdrawn. At the trial court of the Additional District Judge, Alwar all of the original six accused were acquitted in August, 2019 on basis of "benefit of doubt". This was attributed by the People’s Union for Civil Liberties on the lack of forensics done by the police on the video recording of the killing by the assailants. The case was subsequently appealed to the Rajasthan High Court where it remains as of 2021.[13][14]
Response
editThe incident was widely condemned, and many called for the government to crack down on cow-protection vigilante groups.[15] The Supreme Court issued notices on 7 April, 2017 to Rajasthan along with four other Indian states (Gujarat, Jharkhand, Maharashtra and Karnataka) and to the central government asking for a ban on cow vigilante groups.[16] Home Minister Rajnath Singh has assured justice for the lynching incident.[17]
Rajasthan's Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria defended the cow vigilantes, describing their deed as "alright" and blaming the victims for illegally transporting animals[18] though the victims had documents from Jaipur Municipal Corporation for the purchase of cows.[19] Initially, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi also denied the incident and stated "Alwar gau rakshak [cow protection] attack did not happen",[20] but later admitted the incident and tried to clarify his earlier remark.[21] Federal Minister Hansraj Ahir condemned the incident.[22] Congress vice President Rahul Gandhi condemned the killing.[15]
Sadhvi Kamal Didi praised the vigilantes accused of carrying out the lynching. Kamal Didi is the president of Rasthriya Mahila Gau Rakshak Dal, a cow-protection group.[23] She equated the accused to popular historical Indian figures like Bhagat Singh and Chandra Shekhar Azad,[23] saying the vigilantes of today will "be known as heroes in the future".[24][6]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Raj, Suhasini (5 April 2017). "Hindu Cow Vigilantes in Rajasthan, India, Beat Muslim to Death". The New York Times. Retrieved 8 April 2017.
- ^ "Rajasthan: Five men assaulted by gau rakshaks in Alwar, 1 dead". The Indian Express. 5 April 2017.
- ^ a b "As Minister's Comment Sparks Outrage, A New Video Of Attack By Cow Vigilantes". NDTV. Retrieved 8 April 2017.
- ^ "One more arrested in Alwar cow vigilantism incident". Daily News and Analysis. 8 April 2017. Retrieved 8 April 2017.
- ^ "6 Accused In 2017 Mob Killing Of Pehlu Khan Acquitted By Rajasthan Court". NDTV. NDTV. 14 April 2019. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
- ^ a b c d "Alwar cow vigilante murder case: 3 arrested". Mint. 6 April 2017. Retrieved 8 April 2017.
- ^ "Before we could say anything, we were attacked: Survivor on assault by Alwar cow protection group". The Hindustan Times. 7 April 2017.
- ^ a b IANS. "Villagers terrified after Pehlu Khan's brutal lynching". Business Standard.
- ^ a b "Alwar attack: Gau rakshaks killed a dairy farmer, not cattle smuggler".
- ^ "Rajasthan cow vigilante beat Muslim man to death; Police books six, launches manhunt". Firstpost. 5 April 2017. Retrieved 8 April 2017.
- ^ "Pehlu Khan's little son still awaits father's arrival". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 8 April 2017.
- ^ a b c Rituparna Chatterjee. "The Last-Minute Decision That Cost Dairy Farmer Pehlu Khan His Life". Huffington Post.
- ^ a b "Pehlu Khan lynching: A look at the case so far". Hindustan Times. 14 August 2019. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
- ^ "Alwar court acquits 6 men accused of lynching Pehlu Khan on video". Hindustan Times. 14 August 2019. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
- ^ a b "Naqvi says version of events on killing of Muslim man by cow vigilantes not true". Hindustan Times.
- ^ "Supreme Court Asked To Ban Cow Vigilantes Amid Anger Over Alwar Killing". NDTV. 7 April 2017. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
- ^ "Rajnath Singh Promises Justice in Alwar Lynching Case". News18 India. 6 April 2017. Retrieved 8 April 2017.
- ^ "Pehlu Khan killed by gau rakshaks in Alwar: Rajasthan home minister defends the mob". Firstpost. 6 April 2017. Retrieved 8 April 2017.
- ^ "Beaten to death for being a dairy farmer". BBC News. 8 April 2017. Retrieved 8 April 2017.
- ^ "Alwar gau rakshak attack did not happen: Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi". The Indian Express. 6 April 2017. Retrieved 8 April 2017.
- ^ "Alwar lynching: Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi explains what he meant by 'didn't happen', Opposition unmoved". The Indian Express. 8 April 2017. Retrieved 8 April 2017.
- ^ "After Muslim man dies after attack by cow vigilantes, MoS Ahir condemns incident". DNA India.
- ^ a b "Sadhvi equates Alwar lynching case accused with Bhagat Singh". The Hindu.
- ^ "Alwar lynching: Sadhvi Kamal equates cow vigilantes to Bhagat Singh, calls them 'future heroes'". Hindustan Times.