Government encouraging such acts: Mallikarjun Kharge on Alwar lynching

In the wake of a man lynched to death in Rajasthan's Alwar, senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday stated that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government was encouraging such acts and that it did not want the situation to improve.

Speaking to ANI, Kharge said, "The government is encouraging such incidents in the country. This government does not want the situation in the country to improve. We will raise the issue in the Parliament today."

Commenting on the allegations against the Rajasthan Police for causing delay in taking the victim to the hospital, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen leader, Asaduddin Owaisi said he was not surprised by their actions, adding that the 'Gau Rakshaks' and the Police were in cahoots with each other.

"Rajasthan police's actions are not a surprise to me; they did the same in the Pehlu Khan murder case. Rajasthan police is supporting cow vigilantes. These Gau Rakshaks and police are in this together," Owaisi told ANI.

Meanwhile, Rajasthan Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria said that the allegations against the police will be probed and action will be taken if the charges hold water.

"According to few media reports there was delay by the police in taking the victim to the hospital. We will get this information verified and if it is found true, we will take action against those responsible," Kataria told ANI.

In the intervening night of July 20-21, a man was allegedly beaten to death by an agitated mob on suspicions of cow smuggling in Alwar district.

28-year-old Akbar Khan was transporting cows to his village through a forest near Lalawandi area when the locals thrashed him brutally.

This happened after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Friday, urged state governments to take stringent action against the culprits of mob lynching.

Incidents of mob fury have been on a rise in India. According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, 45 persons have been killed in 40 cases of mob violence across nine states between 2014 and March 3 this year.