At least two vigilante groups allegedly kept moving across Haryana for more than 15 hours on February 15 with the injured Junaid and Nasir before their charred bodies were found in Bhiwani next morning, investigators of the Rajasthan police have found, reported The Indian Express.
Nasir and Junaid, both residents of Ghatmeeka village in Bharatpur district of Rajasthan, were allegedly abducted by cow vigilantes on February 15. Their bodies were found in a charred car in Loharu in Haryana’s Bhiwani the next day.
An FIR was registered on February 16 at Gopalgarh police station against five people — Anil, Srikant, Rinku Saini, Lokesh Singhla and Monu Manesar — based on a complaint lodged by the victims’ family members. Later, four more suspects’ names were added to the FIR. Rajasthan police said that at least a dozen more suspects’ role in the case is being probed.
Two groups – one from Mewat region comprising areas of Haryana and Rajasthan, and another from Jind-Bhiwani-Karnal in Haryana — were allegedly involved in the killings of the duo, top police sources told the IE.
The first group comprised accused Rinku Saini, Anil and Shrikant, who operates in the Mewat region. They were working together with another group on February 15, which comprised of accused Monu Rana, Kalu, Vikas, Shashikant, Kishore and Gogi.
“The two vigilante groups apprehended Junaid and Nasir on the morning of February 15. But they couldn’t find any cows with the two men. They then beat the two severely before entering Haryana. Thereafter, things went out of hand. Within two hours of picking the men up, they went to the Haryana police to hand them over. But seeing the grievously injured men, the Haryana police refused,” the officer said.
“Starting from the morning of February 15, the cow vigilantes kept moving in Haryana for 16-17 hours till the bodies were burnt. The accused vigilantes were driving a Scorpio. The Bolero, which the victims were driving before they were apprehended, was also being driven by the vigilantes till midnight when the bodies of the two men were set on fire in Haryana’s Loharu along with the Bolero,” said the officer.
Police said that they are investigating the possible involvement of more such groups in connection with the case.
Bharatpur IG Gaurav Srivastava said that the Scorpio car in which the cow vigilantes took the two victims was traced to a “gaushala (cow shelter)” in Haryana’s Jind. He said that the car was “very crucial evidence” in the case.
Meanwhile, commenting on the cow vigilantes, Chief Minister Gehlot said that “anti-social elements” work in the garb of Bajrang Dal and VHP.
“I would say that the law will take its own course. The accused should be arrested. It is a sad and condemnable incident. These anti-social elements who work in the name of Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad… are dishonest people. The Prime Minister has himself said that these are anti-social elements,” Gehlot told reporters here, as quoted by PTI.