A mob in Shamli’s Hathchoya village dragged a man out of a police van and beat him to death in the presence of cops. The deceased has been identified as Rajendra alias Monu who was said to be in an inebirated state and creating a ruckus.
In a video of the incident that has gone viral, the victim is seen sitting in a police vehicle as someone opens the door and slaps him constantly. A cop seated close to Rajendra holds him, however, the man then opens the door and pulls Rajendra out of the vehicle.
The victim’s family has alleged that Rajendra had a fight with six villagers the previous day and they had beaten him to death with lathis. However, the police have claimed Rajendra died after suffering a head injury. It said that victim fell from the roof of his house, a couple of hours after the incident.
“The video clip posted on social media is incomplete. Rajendra managed to escape from the police van and was beaten up by the crowd. He did not die in police custody. We have ordered a departmental inquiry and have suspended two constables…The report of his death came around two hours after he got out of the van,” Shamli SP Ajay Pratap Singh told Indian Ex.
As per Kairana Deputy SP Rajesh Tiwari, the body has been sent for post-mortem and cause of the death will be ascertained after reports are out. An FIR has been filed under IPC Sections 302 (murder) and148 (rioting with armed weapons) wat Jhinjhana police station against six people. One of accuse, identified as Aarif has been arrested.
Earlier in September, the Supreme Court had asked states and union territories to implement its order within one week to give publicity to its July 17 verdict. In the verdict, the top court had said that “lynching and mob violence of any kind shall invite serious consequences under the law”.
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“It has to be borne in mind that the said direction was issued so that people would realise the gravity of their act and the effect on the law and order situation. The said purpose has to be put on the high pedestal and people must realise that involving in such kind of activities will invite the wrath of law,” three-judge bench headed by then chief justice of India Dipak Misra had said.