In Faridabad, Haryana, 12th class student Aryan Mishra (19 years) has been shot dead on suspicion of cow smuggling. Police have arrested 5 accused in the case. The attacker himself has admitted that he shot him thinking he was a cow smuggler. Questions are being raised from the police to the administration regarding the incident. Meanwhile, Aryan’s father Siyanand Mishra asked, who has given the right to shoot someone on suspicion of cow smuggling? If the Modi government has given such a right, then why? However, the police have not officially called the accused cow protectors. The question is being raised whether the governments recognize active cow protectors? Know the major controversies related to cow smuggling in Haryana-Rajasthan…
Strict laws have been made in Rajasthan and Haryana regarding cow protection, which provide for severe punishment against cow slaughter and cow smuggling. Often cow protection groups justify their activities by citing these laws. However, action is also taken against these groups when a controversy arises.
Case number- 1. Student shot dead mistaking him to be a cow smuggler
First know what has happened in Palwal, Haryana? The incident took place on the intervening night of 23-24 August. Aryan Mishra was a 12th class student and a resident of Faridabad. Five people including Aryan were in a car and were going somewhere. It is alleged that when the alleged cow protectors saw the car going at 2 o’clock in the night, they chased it and killed Aryan on suspicion of cow smuggling. In the case, the police have arrested all the 5 accused Saurabh, Anil Kaushik, Varun, Krishna and Adesh. During interrogation, the accused told that on the night of 23 August, they had received information that some suspected cattle smugglers riding two SUVs were doing recce in the city. They mistook Aryan Mishra and his friends Shanky and Harshit as cattle smugglers and chased their car for about 30 kilometers near Garhpuri toll on Delhi-Agra National Highway. When they asked to stop the car, the driver increased the speed, after which they opened fire and Aryan died on the spot near Garhpuri toll in Palwal. The police have recovered the illegal weapons and car used in the crime. The police are refusing to consider the accused in this case as cow protectors. The police have also denied any personal enmity between the accused and Aryan.
Aryan Mishra’s father Siyanand Mishra told Aaj Tak, the accused Anil Kaushik has been arrested by the police. When we spoke to Anil, he said that he shot him thinking he was a Muslim. He fired the shot by mistake. He was shooting thinking he was a cow smuggler. The father said that when I asked him why he went close and shot the second shot, he did not give any answer. Anil was also asked why only Aryan was shot? Whereas there is no bullet mark anywhere in the car? When one bullet hit Aryan, why was the second shot fired close by?
On the other hand, the police says that those people (accused) were standing on the side of the road. They suspected that some criminals were going in a car. On this, they chased them and opened fire. The father said that continuous firing was done from 31D area to Palwal, about 30 km away. My son was shot on the head and shoulder. I want an answer to the question why the second bullet was fired at a close distance? Harshit Gulati and other people (all of them were in the car with Aryan) misled the police and told that the people living in Number One Main Market had fired the shot. That night at around one o’clock, Harshit’s mother called and spoke to the son. The son left the house. At three o’clock in the night, I got a call that your son was shot. After the incident, when I reached the hospital, everyone met me there. Sujhata’s body was covered with blood.
Will the Vice President and the Prime Minister say anything?
On this incident, Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal said that this incident happened due to promoting the agenda of hatred. He asked whether Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will speak on this incident. Sibal wrote on Twitter, we should be ashamed. In Haryana, cow protectors shot and killed Aryan Mishra (a 12th class student) mistaking him to be a ‘cow transporter’. Reason: Promoting the agenda of hatred. The former Union Minister said, will our Prime Minister, our Vice President, our Home Minister speak.
Case number-2: Migrant worker murdered on suspicion of eating beef
This incident is of 27th August. In Haryana’s Charkhi Dadri district, migrant labourer Sabir Malik (20 years) from West Bengal was allegedly beaten to death. Police said that this incident happened on suspicion of eating beef. People associated with cow protection found a piece of meat in a vessel, after which they suspected it to be beef. Five members of the cow protection group Abhishek, Mohit, Ravinder, Kamaljit and Sahil have been arrested in the case. According to the police, the accused called the victim Sabir Malik to a shop on the pretext of selling empty plastic bottles and then beat him up. After the intervention of some people, the accused took Sabir Malik to another place and then beat him up badly, due to which he died. Haryana Chief Minister Naib Singh Saini termed this incident unfortunate. He also said that it is not right to say things like mob lynching. We have made a strict law in the state assembly for the protection of cows and no compromise will be made on this.
CM Saini said, people have faith in Gau Mata. Their emotions are attached. When such information comes, the villagers react. I emphasize that such incidents of lynching are unfortunate and should not happen. Police said that Sabir Malik lived in a slum near Bandra village in Charkhi Dadri district and collected garbage and waste for a living. He was a resident of West Bengal.
Case No. 3: Pehlu Khan murder case in 2017
In April 2017, in Alwar (Rajasthan), Pehlu Khan, a resident of Nuh district in Haryana, was beaten to death by cow vigilantes on charges of cow smuggling. The incident made national headlines when its video went viral and showed visuals of mob violence. Pehlu Khan and his sons Umar and Tahir were returning to Haryana after buying cattle from Hatwara in Jaipur. On the way, their vehicle was stopped and attacked. The ADJ Court of Alwar acquitted the accused on 14 August 2019. In this case, the Juvenile Court held 2 minors guilty and sent them to a child reform home for 3 years each.
Case No. 4: Junaid Khan murder case in 2017
In June 2017, a 15-year-old boy named Junaid Khan was killed by a mob in a moving train near Ballabhgarh in Haryana. The attackers targeted him and his brothers on suspicion of eating beef. This incident raised questions about the violence happening in the name of cow protection. In fact, Junaid, his brothers Hashim, Shakir and neighbor friend Mohsin were returning home by train after shopping for Eid from Sadar Bazar in Delhi. At Okhla, 20-25 people boarded the train and started pushing. Junaid was pushed and fell down. When he objected, the accused said that you are a Muslim, you eat meat. The mob removed the cap from his head. After that Junaid was beaten up. The mob kept beating him till the Tughlakabad station arrived. Some people took out knives and started hitting Shakir. When Junaid tried to intervene, those people hit Junaid too and threw him out of the train at Asawati station.
Case No. 5: Rakbar Khan murder case in 2018
In July 2018, Rakbar Khan was killed by a mob near Alwar on charges of cow smuggling. He was a resident of Nuh district of Haryana and was transporting cows with his companion Aslam. Aslam somehow managed to escape after the attack. The role of the police was also questioned in this case. Because Rakbar Khan died due to alleged delay by the police. The police took the injured Rakbar and the cows to Ramgarh police station. Rakbar was put in the police station and the cows were taken to the Gaushala. After an hour or so, Rakbar was sent to Ramgarh hospital, where he was declared dead. The Alwar court has sentenced four accused to 7 years each. Along with this, the court has acquitted one accused Naval Kishore. The accused who have been sentenced by the court include Paramjeet, Dharmendra, Naresh and Vijay.
Case No. 6: Attack on cow protectors in Nuh in 2022
In August 2022, cow smugglers attacked a team of cow protectors in Nuh of Mewat district. One person was accused of being beaten up. 25 to 30 cow smugglers carried out the incident. This entire dispute took place in Rava village of Ferozepur Jhirka. Actually, members of the cow protection team had come to Rava village to investigate after receiving a complaint of smuggling. This incident had highlighted the issue of law and order and communal tension.
Case No. 7: Murder case of Nasir and Junaid
Junaid and Nasir, residents of Ghat Mika village in Bharatpur district of Rajasthan, were burnt alive in a jeep. This incident took place in Bhiwani area of Haryana on the night of 14 February 2023. The family of Junaid and Nasir lodged a complaint at Gopalgarh police station in Bharatpur on 16 February and made allegations against 5 people. Monu Manesar’s name was also included among the accused. Due to his name in the FIR, Bharatpur Police was looking for Monu Manesar. He was to be questioned. However, the then Ashok Gehlot government had surrounded the Haryana government and claimed that the Haryana government was not cooperating in the arrest of Monu. Rajasthan Police had blamed the cow protectors of Haryana for this incident. This incident had raised serious questions about the issue of cow smuggling and mob violence. Later, Rajasthan Police interrogated Monu and arrested him and sent him to jail. Monu’s name also came up in the case of inciting violence in Nuh, Haryana on 31 July 2023. An inflammatory video of Bittu Bajrangi with Monu Manesar went viral on social media.
Do governments recognize?
State governments implement strict laws for cow protection and are sensitive towards the safety of cows. This gives a kind of moral support to the cow protection groups. Experts say that many times governments refrain from taking strict action against cow protection groups, which indirectly indicates support to them. However, when cow protection groups engage in violent activities, the tension of governments increases and they have to face criticism. The police have to take legal action. Since, cow protection groups get the support of local organizations and some religious groups. These organizations are often vocal on the issue of ‘cow protection’ and also have influence in local communities.
What does the law on cow protection in Haryana say?
For cow protection in Haryana, the government enacted a law in 2015. This law has provisions to prevent cow slaughter and smuggling and to ensure the welfare of cattle in the state. Cow smuggling, cow slaughter and possession or consumption of beef have been banned under the sections of the Act. Even the sale of canned beef has been banned. After the law was made, cow protection groups started considering themselves responsible for stopping cattle smuggling and take to the streets. However, this bill is also lagging behind in terms of punishing the criminals. The conviction rate under this law has been very low. While the investigation is going on at a slow pace. In the year 2022, 402 cases were registered in the state citing the provisions of the Haryana Gauvansh Sanrakshan and Gausamvardhan (HGSG) Act, but only 8 reached the trial phase. The highest number of cases were registered under this Act in Nuh. As of December 2022, 1,192 cases were pending in the courts. While the hearing was completed in only 69. Only four cases resulted in punishment. Nowhere in the law related to cow protection has the power of the police been placed on the side of cow protectors or anyone else to stop cow smuggling.
Legal experts say the state government has also not framed rules for effective implementation of the Act, without which investigations lack both purpose and direction. Meanwhile, a network of cow protectors came to light. In March 2019, the Punjab and Haryana High Court pulled up the state government for its failure to arrest and convict accused in cases under the Act.
What is the law regarding cow smuggling in Rajasthan?
The law on cow slaughter is also applicable in Rajasthan. Here action is taken under the Rajasthan Bovine Animal (Prohibition of Slaughter and Regulation of Temporary Migration or Export) Act, 1995. Slaughter of cows and their progeny is prohibited under the law. Sale and transportation of beef is also banned. Bovine animals cannot be exported to any place outside the state for the purpose of slaughter. There is a provision of rigorous imprisonment for causing serious injury, physical pain, disease or weakness to a bovine animal. Persons who act in good faith in compliance with the Act are protected from legal action. No suit, prosecution or other legal action shall be taken against any person for anything done or intended to be done in good faith under this Act or the rules made thereunder.
Cow slaughter can attract a punishment of up to 10 years and a fine of up to Rs 10,000. The state government has also established the Rajasthan Gauseva Commission for the protection, conservation and promotion of cows. This commission also helps in the maintenance of cows, construction and operation of cow shelters. The state government provides financial assistance to cow shelters for the care of helpless and destitute cows.
Follow us On Social Media Google News and Twitter/X