2 burnt alive in Bhiwani, kin blame 'gau rakshaks'

Gurugram/Hisar, February 16

Two Rajasthan youths suspected of cattle smuggling were allegedly abducted from Bharatpur district in the neighbouring state and burnt to death in Haryana.

The deceased, Nasir (27) and Junaid (35) of Gopalgarh village in Bharatpur, were allegedly abducted by a group of ‘gau rakshaks’ (cow protectors) and their charred remains were found inside their Bolero vehicle recovered today from near the fields in Barwas village of Loharu sub-division in Bhiwani. One of the victims is learnt to have been facing several cases of cow smuggling. In his complaint to the police, Junaid’s brother Ismail, accused Bajrang Dal activists, ‘gau rakshaks’ and the CIA team of Ferozpur Jhirka (Nuh) of first lynching the duo and then setting their bodies ablaze inside the vehicle. He said the duo were visiting a nearby place to get household items when they were waylaid. The Rajasthan Police, however, have only registered a case of abduction against ‘gau rakshaks’ and Bajrang Dal activists Monu Manesar of Gurugram and Shrikant Marora of Nuh. The police have not yet clarified about the recovery of any cattle.

“We have eyewitnesses who say the ‘gau rakshaks’ and the CIA team intercepted the duo. Scared for their lives, they tried to escape but the police rammed their vehicle into the Bolero. People saw the policemen and seven-right ‘gau rakshaks’ dragging the victims into the CIA vehicle and taking them away.

“After beating them black and blue, the Bajrang Dal activists and the CIA team took them to the police station in Ferozpur Jhirka. But the police personnel there refused to take them into custody in view of their critical condition,” alleged Ismail. The families by afternoon received a call about their charred vehicle found in Loharu along with the bodies.

Nasir’s brother Hamid alleged that they were poor men and had no cattle connection. “The families are in a shock. His wife is still unconscious. They had married recently and were planning to have children,” he said.

Bharatpur IG Gaurav Srivastava confirmed that the vehicle was found burnt in Bhiwani and the two charred bodies were recovered from inside. Bhiwani SP Ajit Singh Shekhawat said they along with the Rajasthan Police had started an investigation. He said prima facie, it was suspected that the duo died after their vehicle was set afire and the accused drove the vehicle to the isolated place to destroy evidence.