Ten accused of the 2018 Hapur mob lynching case have been sentenced to life imprisonment and a fine of Rs 58,000 each on Tuesday by the local court.
The court convicted 10 men, named Maangeram, Karanpal, Rinku Rana, Hari Om, Lalit, Rakesh, Manish, Yudhishtir, Sonu Rana and Kanu, under IPC Sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion etc), 149 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting) and 148 (armed with deadly weapon).
In June 2018, a resident of Pilkhuwa, Qasim (45), was lynched to death for alleged cattle trading in the Hapur district of Uttar Pradesh. The mob also attacked Samaydeen (62) who came to save Qusim. Almost six years later, the court has announced its verdict in favour of the victim.
The incident got attention when a video surfaced on social media on June 18, 2018, showing Qasim lying in a field, his clothes torn and bruises across his body.
According to a report by The Indian Express, Samaydeen, a resident of Madapur Mustafabad village, recounted to the police an incident where he and his neighbour Hassan witnessed a mob chasing Qasim while they were out collecting fodder. Samaydeen attempted to intervene to assist Qasim but ended up being beaten himself.
Days later, a photograph circulated on social media depicted Qasim being dragged by several individuals, with three policemen visible in the background. Subsequently, these three policemen were reassigned to police lines, and the state police issued an apology.
In September 2018, following Samaydeen’s appeal, the Supreme Court directed the Inspector General of Police, Meerut range, to oversee the investigation.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Samaydeen’s brother Mehruddin expressed contentment with the court’s ruling, emphasizing the importance of setting a precedent. He remarked that while they didn’t demand the death penalty for the perpetrators, they sought life imprisonment to underscore the severity of their actions.
Mehruddin stressed the need for societal harmony and peace, condemning the violence and false accusations surrounding Qasim’s death.