Moradabad lynching: Deceased Muslim man booked, friend arrested for cow slaughter
Moradabad: Days after a 37-year-old Muslim man, Shahideen Qureshi, was brutally assaulted by a mob over allegations of cow slaughter and later succumbed to his injuries, police arrested his friend on Wednesday but have yet to apprehend any suspects in the murder case.
The attack occurred in Moradabad’s Majhola area when Qureshi and his friend, Mohammad Adnan, were allegedly seen slaughtering an ox. A mob attacked Qureshi, leaving him critically injured. Adnan reportedly fled the scene.
Majhola Station House Officer Mohit Chaudhary confirmed that two FIRs were registered in the case. “We took suo motu cognisance and registered an FIR against Qureshi and Mohammad Adnan under charges of cow slaughter. Another FIR was filed based on a complaint by Qureshi’s brother, Mohammad Shahjad, under IPC Section 302 (murder) against unidentified persons,” he said.
Despite registering the murder FIR, no arrests have been made. Additional Superintendent of Police (City) Kumar Ran Vijay Singh said investigations are ongoing. “We have not been able to arrest anybody in connection with the killing of Qureshi so far,” he said.
Following the attack, Qureshi was rushed to the Moradabad district hospital in critical condition but succumbed to his injuries on Monday evening. His body was handed over to his family for burial.
Qureshi, a bodybuilder with a passion for fitness who had participated in various competitions, lived in the Asalatpur locality. He is survived by his wife, Rizwana, and three sons, aged 13, 11, and 9.
Rizwana expressed her anguish over the incident, questioning the mob’s actions. “Who gave them the right to take a human life over the death of an animal? What happened to my husband is cruel. He was killed before his time,” she told The Print.
While police claimed the mob did not know Qureshi’s religion, a video of the assault circulated online shows attackers shouting “Jai Shri Ram” slogans, suggesting communal undertones. The video, purportedly shared by Hindutva vigilantes, has sparked outrage.
Additional Superintendent Singh dismissed claims that the incident constituted lynching, stating, “The technical definition of lynching is if someone is killed over caste, creed, or religion. Here, the mob didn’t know his religion, so it cannot be called lynching.”
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Bihar: Over 150 children fall ill after consuming 'mid-day meal' in Saharsa
Saharsa (PTI): More than 150 children were taken ill after allegedly consuming food that was part of the mid-day meal in a school in Bihar’s Saharsa district, a senior official said on Thursday.
The incident occurred at a middle school in Baluaha village of the district.
The official said that 115 children were undergoing treatment at the Sadar Hospital, while around 50 students were admitted to Mahishi Public Health Centre.
“We received information that several children fell ill after consuming the mid-day meal in Baluaha. The children were initially treated at the primary health centre, but later, many were referred to the Sadar Hospital,” Saharsa District Magistrate Deepesh Kumar told reporters.
“According to doctors, the health condition of the children has improved, but they will be kept under observation for some time. There is no need to panic. Some kids are having mild fever. They are being treated accordingly,” Kumar said.
Meanwhile, family members of some children claimed that a snake was found in the container in which cooked pulses was stored at the school.
Of the 545 students present in the school, 200 had already eaten their meals by the time the snake was spotted, and later complained of stomach ache and vomiting, they said.
Regarding the claims, the DM said food samples have been collected from the school.
“We will be able to comment on this only after the results of the tested samples arrive,” he said.
