Mahapanchayat demands martyr status for youth

A mahapanchayat organised here Wednesday took stock of the situation following a youth's murder and tension in the area after a religious structure was damaged.

The mahapanchayat, representing 360 villages, demanded martyr's status for Vikrant Yadav, a member of a group dedicated to preventing smuggling and slaughter of cattle and who was killed while chasing a cattle smugglers' vehicle Aug 25.

The villages-council meet also sought a compensation of Rs.1 crore for Vikrant's family, a government job to one of his kin and renaming of Jamalpur Chowk as Shaheed Vikrant Yadav Chowk.

A judicial inquiry into Vikrant's murder and arrest of his killers within 72 hours was also demanded besides withdrawal of cases lodged by the railway and Gurgaon Police against villagers protesting Vikrant's murder.

The mahapanchayat called for constitution of a special task force to check cattle smuggling in south Haryana.

The participants wanted vehicles carrying cattle to be painted in a unique colour for easy identification.

Regarding damage to a structure, the mahapanchayat members asserted that residents were using the premises to lodge members of marriage parties and demanded its status be maintained.

The mahapanchayat, presided over by Sham Singh Thakran of Jharsa village, alleged that land sharks were trying to usurp village land and disturb communal harmony by inciting residents.