Rajasthan: Two Muslim Men Found Charred Inside Car; 5 Bajrang Dal Workers Named in FIR, One Arrested

The charred bodies of two Muslim men were found in a car in Haryana’s Bhiwani after they were allegedly abducted by cow vigilantes on suspicion of smuggling cow meat. The Rajasthan police on Friday arrested one out of five workers of the Bajrang Dal named in the FIR and questioned some suspects, officials said.

Police identified the two men as cousins, Nasir (25) and Junaid alias Juna (35), both residents of Ghatmeeka village in Bharatpur district of Rajasthan. Junaid had a criminal record of cattle smuggling and five cases were registered against him at different police stations, a police officer said.

The two were allegedly abducted on February 15 and their bodies were found at Loharu in Bhiwani on Thursday morning, police said, adding that the cousins left home for some work in a white Bolero car and did not return. According to the FIR registered in the case on Thursday, minutes after leaving the house, eight to 10 men stopped their vehicle on suspicion that they were smuggling cow meat.

The FIR stated that the men beat them unconscious and put them inside their car and drove them to a police station. Sources told CNN-News18 that the police refused to take them in as their situation seemed critical.

On Thursday, police in Bhiwani received information about a burning car with two people inside it and reached the spot along with a forensics team, which was able to identify the car through its chassis number. On inquiry, police found that a missing complaint had been lodged in Firozpur and, subsequently, Rajasthan police was informed.

On Friday, the victims’ bodies were sent to their home in Bharatpur, where the entire village gathered and held a panchayat. They demanded Rs 50 lakh each for the kin of both men, a government job for one family member, and the arrest of all the accused involved.

Bharatpur range inspector general of police Gaurav Srivastava said, “Those named in the FIR are associated with the Bajrang Dal but whether they were involved in the crime or not is yet to be ascertained.” He said half a dozen people have been detained and are being questioned.

One of the key accused in the case is Mohit Yadav alias Monu Manesar, the Gurugram district president of Bajrang Dal and a member of a self-proclaimed cow protection team. He was earlier named in an attempt to murder case registered at Pataudi police station in Gurugram on February 7.

A history-sheeter, Monu runs a Facebook page where he posts about his work and boasts about being a cow vigilante. He has several other cases pending against him, ranging from firing in public to promoting violence, but police have never taken any action against him. While on the run, he also released a video in which he is saying he had nothing to do with the latest case against him and demanded a CBI inquiry into the matter. But, he has not yet surrendered.

Bharatpur superintendent of police Shyam Singh said the FIR was registered at Gopalgarh police station against five people – Anil, Srikant, Rinku Saini, Lokesh Singhla and Monu – on the basis of a complaint lodged by the victims’ family members. The man arrested has been identified as Rinku Saini, a 32-year-old taxi cab driver associated with a cow vigilante group. Four people are still on the run.

They have been booked under sections 143 (unlawful assembly), 365 (kidnapping), 367 (grievously hurt after kidnapping) and 368 (wrongfully keeping in confinement) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot condemned the killings and promised stern action against the accused. The last rites of the cousins were conducted even as minister of state for education Zahida Khan met the affected families. She promised an amount of Rs 20 lakh each to both families and free schooling for all the children.

(With PTI inputs)

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