Hindutva vigilantes lynch Muslim man in Rajasthan on suspicion of cow smuggling, five arrested
Bhilwara: A 35-year-old Muslim man from Madhya Pradesh’s Mandsaur district was lynched in Rajasthan’s Bhilwara after being accused of cow smuggling by a group of alleged cow vigilantes. The incident took place around 3 am on September 16, when the victim and his cousin were returning home from a cattle market.
According to The Hindu, the deceased was identified as Aasif Babu Multani, while The Indian Express reported his name as Sheru Susadiya. He and his cousin Mohsin had purchased cattle for agricultural and dairy purposes and were on their way back when they were intercepted.
Manzoor Pemla, a relative of the victim who filed the complaint, alleged that a vehicle chased and blocked the pickup truck. Soon after, several men on motorcycles arrived, dragged the two out, and attacked them, accusing them of cow slaughter. While Mohsin managed to escape and hide in the nearby forest, Multani was brutally assaulted.
The FIR alleges that the assailants, identified as Deva Gurjar, Kunal Malpura, Pradeep Rajpurohit, Nitesh Saini, and others, also robbed ₹36,000 from Multani and used his phone to demand ₹50,000 more from his family in exchange for sparing his life.
On September 17, the family was informed by police that Multani had been admitted to a hospital with head injuries. He was later shifted to Jaipur, where he succumbed to his injuries on Friday.
Police have arrested five persons in connection with the lynching under charges of attempt to murder, voluntarily causing hurt, wrongful restraint, extortion, and unlawful assembly. A separate case of cow smuggling has also been registered.
Pemla alleged that Multani’s only “crime” was that he was a Muslim transporting cattle. “There was not even a cow in the van, only oxen and buffaloes,” he said.
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Protest against demolition drive turns violent in Kolkata, 3 cops injured
Kolkata (PTI): A protest against the recent bulldozer action in Kolkata's Tiljala turned violent on Sunday as demonstrators hurled stones at police personnel in the minority-dominated Park Circus area, injuring at least three officials and damaging several vehicles.
The flare-up came days after bulldozers rolled into Tiljala as part of the West Bengal government's demolition drive against alleged illegal constructions following the factory fire that killed two persons earlier this week.
On Sunday afternoon, a large number of people gathered near Park Circus Seven Point Crossing to protest against the anti-encroachment drive and attempted to block roads, police said.
As police tried to disperse, what they described as an "unlawful assembly", a section of protesters allegedly resorted to stone-pelting, triggering chaos in the area.
Several vehicles parked along the roadside, including those carrying central forces, were vandalised, officials said.
Heavy deployment of Kolkata Police and central forces was made in the area after the clashes. Route marches and intensified patrolling were undertaken in adjoining localities to prevent further escalation and restore normalcy.
Kolkata Police Additional Commissioner Ashesh Biswas said action has already been initiated against those involved in the violence.
"Some people tried to block the road. It was an illegal gathering. The police were trying to disperse them, and there was pelting of stones. Three of our colleagues were injured," Biswas told reporters.
"We have already arrested a few people," he said.
The officer said police followed standard operating procedures, and efforts were underway to identify all those involved in the violence.
"There was an attack on the police. We will see who is behind it and arrest everyone. Strict legal action will be taken," he added.
While the police maintained the agitation was linked to administrative action against illegal buildings, some locals claimed that grievances over alleged restrictions on the use of loudspeakers during religious prayers and curbs on offering prayers on roads had also contributed to the tensions.
The developments come close on the heels of tension in Kolkata's Rajabazar area on Friday, where a standoff broke out after a group of people allegedly attempted to offer prayers on a public road despite restrictions on blocking traffic.
According to police sources, a large contingent of personnel reached the area and asked people to vacate the road, after which the situation turned tense briefly.
Members of the local community argued that holding Friday prayers on roads had been a long-standing practice in the locality, while the administration maintained that keeping roads clear was necessary for traffic movement and maintenance of law and order.
Police, however, did not indicate any direct connection between the Rajabazar incident and Sunday's violence in Park Circus.
Authorities also did not immediately disclose the number of persons arrested in Sunday's clashes or whether any protesters sustained injuries during the confrontation.
