Ghazanfar Abbas, IndiaTomorrow.net,

New Delhi /Jaipur, Nov 13: In yet another killing of a dairy farmer Umar Khan by self-styled gau-rakshaks (Cow Vigilantes) near Rajasthan-Haryana border, People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) on Monday demanded an independent probe. Stating that the role of police was “suspicious” in the incident, PUCL also blamed the Rajasthan government led by Chief Minister (CM) Vasundhara Raje for supporting the culprits.

It is reported that on Friday (Nov 10) early morning, dairy farmer Umar Khan, 35, along with two of his aides Tahir Khan, 42 and Javed Khan 28, were allegedly attacked by some 7-8 gau-rakshaks armed with guns in Rajasthan’s Alwar district on the accusation of smuggling cows.

All three were allegedly waylaid at Fahari village near Govindhgarh when they were transporting cows for dairy farming from Mewat in Haryana to Bharatpur in the state. They were brutally assaulted by the mob, where Umar died on the spot while his two accomplices were severely injured. Tahir Khan managed to flee the spot and admitted himself to a hospital at Ferozpur Jhirka while Javed Khan is still missing. All three victims hail from Ghatmika village of Bharatpur.

Condemning the incident PUCL said in its statement, “The murder of Umar is the complete failure of the Vasundhara Raje Government in protecting Muslims in particular dairy farmers from the killer gau-rakshaks. In this case it was the bullet of the Ramgarh police that killed him and then the police tried to destroy evidence by throwing his body on the railway track. The present state of his body shows the brutality that the police and the so called gau-rakshaks can indulge in.”

The police found dismembered body of Umar on the railway tracks about 15 kilometres from the pickup. Alwar’s Meo community is also alleging that Umar’s body was thrown on railway track to show it as an accident. The family has refused to take body of the deceased, demanding the arrest of all accused.

Speaking to IndiaTomorrow.net  Kavita Srivastava, State president of PUCL Rajasthan said, “No accused have been named and arrested in the case yet. Tahir told that the police was present when it happened. It shows that police is also involved. The Rajasthan government is hand in gloves and totally supporting them. CM could have taken immediate action by suspending SHO of Ramgarh and SP of Alwar because such crime happened in the area again."

"This incident shows that the lives of Muslims have become very cheap in Rajasthan. Earlier, when the lynching of dairy farmer Pehlu Khan happened the police let off all the six main accused who were named in his death declaration. In another case of Zafar Khan, Police did not arrest anybody” she added.

Also Read: Pehlu Khan's Family Gets Death Threats, Demands Transfer of Case outside Rajasthan

“There should be an independent probe immediately into the case. Everything will be clear” Srivastava demanded.

“State Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria is a RSS man and it is an agenda of RSS to prevent Muslims from being dairy farmers and break down their livelihood,” she alleged.

Besides PUCL, Meo Panchayat in Alwar also demanded a fair and impartial probe in the matter.  No autopsy of Umar’s body was done till the report was published.

Two FIRs, No Arrest Made

Since the incident happened two separate FIRs have been lodged by Rajasthan Police.

First FIR was lodged under “The Rajasthan Bovine Animal (Prohibition of Slaughter and Regulation of Temporary Migration or Export) Act, against the alleged cow smugglers on Friday only and the vehicle was sent to Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL).

But a second FIR was lodged on Sunday under IPC section 302 (murder), section 307 (attempt to murder), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence or giving false information to screen offender) following a complaint by Umar’s family members.

Meanwhile state’s Home Minister Kataria said that action would be taken in the matter but no arrest has been made yet.