RAJASTHAN
Jaipur,
21st
July, 2018
Press Note
NOT COW SUMGGLING BUT EXTORTION WHICH LED TO THE LYNCHING OF AKBAR KHAN
At 1 am in the night of 20th and 21st July
After having
studied collectively with others activists, the lynchings in Mewat area of Rajasthan,
it has become clear to the PUCL that Akbar Khan who had bought two cows from village
Ladpur, Ramgarh tehsil, Alwar district and was taking back the cows in the
night to his own village Kol near Firozpur Jhirka, Mewat, Haryana. Where he was
killed in Jungle Lalawandi, Ramgarh. It is well known that extortionists under the
garb of gaurakshaks are roaming the streets looking for a prey. If those
carrying cows are able to pay the sum demanded, then they are allowed to go or
else fired at and killed. This time too this has been the case, as reported by
activists from the ground level.
The murder of Akbar is the complete failure of your Government in
protecting Muslims in particular Dairy farmers from the killer Gaurakshaks, who
are basically extortionists.
You may recall that in the past 4 lynchings have happened since 2015,
with three in 2017. Please recall the following murders:
·
30 may 2015, Abdul Gaffar Querishi, Birloka, Didwana tehsil, Nagaur
district
·
1st April, 2017 Pehlu Khan, Behror thana, Alwar district
·
16th June, 2017 Zafar Khan, Pratapgarh town, Pratapgarh district
·
10th sept, 2017 Bhagtaram Meena, neem ka thaana sikar district.
Along with police encounters in the city of Alwar
of Mev Muslims, in the name of the picking up cows.
Although in this case the police brought the
deceased to Alwar and lodged an FIR 0321/18 U/S 143, 341, 323, 302, 34 IPC at
the Ramgarh police station.
We
would like to ask the Government of Rajasthan, who tweeted immediately this
morning, condemning this incident, whether she had any plans to call a halt to
this bloody madness as now the Gau rakshaks have tasted blood and have the
support of the police and administration
All pehlu
khan killers were thrown out of the purview of investigation and cases of cow
smuggling are still being faced by Pehlu khan’s companions, Azmat and RAfiq.
Todate Zafar khans killers are roaming free and the eye witnesses in the Umar
case were thrown into jail. In Bhagtaram’s case nothing happened, till the High
Court intervened earlier this month in July.. There seems to be complete
impunity to the killers, with the Home minister Gulab singh Kataria going on
record that Gau Rakshaks to good work, after Pehlu khan was killed.
We would also
like to know whether the GOR has any plans to implement the Supreme court guide
lines. The SC clearly made the centre and State responsible for lynchings, and
said mobocracy will not be allowed. As part of the guidelines it has all state
to make nodal officers, immediate arrests and chargesheets and fast track
courts and maximum punishment.
It these are
not going to stop now, these murders are going to be on the increase? It will
be a major violation by your Government of Article 21, the right to life of the
Muslims
we demand :
·
the immediate transfer of investigation to an independent agency, like
an SIT or under the IG.
·
Arrest the killers of Akbar Khan.
·
Immediately and restore the cows to the family of Akbar Khan.
·
Compensation including cash of 25 lakhs and land to the family. And
a government job to his kin.
·
Aslam be given protection.
·
No false case of cow smuggling be filed against Akbar and Aslam...
·
The Ramgarh SHO be dismissed from duty. As the onus is on the State to
protect the people from lynching.
·
The Home minister give a plan for the protection of dairy farmers
particularly the Meos in Mewat region.
We also demand from the CM that this be the last lynching in Rajasthan.
The impunity and protection to these killers be withdrawn now.
Kavita
Srivastava, (President)
Anant
Bhatnagar ( General Secretary)
FIR attached
Address for
Correspondence: 76, Shanti Niketan Colony, Kisan Marg, Jaipur -302015
Phone No: 0141/
2708917, 09351562965, 9887158183; E-mail -
pucl.rajasthan[at]gmail.com
