Dadri lynching: Locals defy prohibitory orders; hold meet seeking FIR against Akhlaq's family

The demand was sparked after a forensic report stated that the meat found at the scene of the attack was that of cow

Act against Mohammad Akhlaq's family for alleged cow slaughter and consuming beef within 20 days or face "public anger", the residents of Bishada village have warned, reported The Indian Express. 

Nine months after the Dadri lynching, the situation in the village became tense again on Monday as locals held a protest meeting ignoring prohibitory orders.

The demand was sparked after a forensic report stated that the meat found at the scene of the attack on Mohammad Akhlaq on the night of September 28, following rumours that his family stored and ate beef at their house, was that of "cow or its progeny". Clarity has, however, yet to emerge on where exactly the meat was recovered from.

 

The villagers had originally planned to have a 'maha-panchayat' to push for registration of a first information report (FIR) against Akhlaq's family. The protest meeting was also attended by some local-level Shiv Sena members, according to the organisers.

NP Singh, district magistrate of Gautam Budh Nagar, has clamped Section 144 CrPC and issued prohibitory orders banning gathering of five or more persons in the district after Bishada villagers in Dadri announced the panchayat for Monday. Also, additional security personnel have been deployed in the village, officials said.

"Situation is under control," Singh said, adding that he has appealed to the residents not to resort to violence.

Singh said that political leaders should not politicise the matter since it is subjudice. "Let the case proceed in court. They can put their views or evidence before the court. Nobody will be allowed to disturb law and order," he added.

Sanjay Rana, father of accused Vishal Rana, had threatened that a maha-panchayat will be held in the village as police have failed to register an FIR against Akhlaq's family.

"A complaint was filed with police after the forensic report said the meat in the freezer at Akhlaq's house was beef. No FIR has been filed yet in this regard," he said. The report submitted to the fast-track court was prepared by a Mathura-based Forensic lab and it surfaced last week.

The veterinary officer had said in his preliminary report, which was cited by the police earlier, that the meat sample was not beef, but meat of "goat progeny".

Rana went on to say that a calf had gone missing from the village in September last year and later animal remains were found near Akhlaq's house. "Then investigation officer had taken the photographs of the meat piece and other parts and it was clear that it was calf which was killed. We only want that Akhlaq's family should be booked for cow slaughtering," he added.

But Yusuf Saifi, advocate for the victim's family, said, "meat piece was recovered from the nearby transformer and not from Akhlaq's house. We will challenge the forensic report too in the court."

Residents of Bishada village, including kin of the accused in the September 2015 Akhlaq lynching case, on Sunday met the Gautam Budh Nagar SSP to press their demand for registration of an FIR against Akhlaq's family.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Vinay Katiyar supported the demand for registration of an FIR against Akhlaq's family members and demanded that the compensation given to them be withdrawn.

"The question is that cow slaughter had taken place. The report has come and now FIR should be lodged against those involved in cow slaughter. Those who have been locked up in jail should be released. The compensation should be withdrawn. Government should take back the three houses given to them," he said.

The Congress criticised the statements of BJP leaders, saying it will vitiate the atmosphere.

"Calling for maha-panchayat and the statements being made after the forensic report came are not proper. Whether it is the Centre or the state government, it should be stopped," Congress leader P L Punia said.

How the issue has progressed:

1) With the latest report, prepared by a forensic lab in Mathura, concluding that the meat found in the victim's house was beef, BJP MP Yogi Adityanath has demanded that a case of cow slaughter should be registered against Akhlaq's family and that those arrested in relation to the lynching be released.

"They are mum on this report. The innocent Hindus arrested in the matter should me immediately released and a case of cow slaughter should be registered against Akhlaq's family," he said in Gorakhpur. 

2) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has questioned the authenticity of the latest forensic report which stated that the meat found was of "cow or its progeny".

Yadav raised doubts about the forensic procedure and the origins of the samples being referred to in the new report.

3) According to the Economic Times, a copy of the seizure memo prepared by the UP Police on the day of the incident shows that the sample sent for tests was taken from meat found by sub-inspector Tej Pal Singh from a "tri-junction near a transformer" in the village. Citing the memo, the report says that the meat was not seized from Akhlaq's refrigerator or his residence.

4) Soon after the lynching, six of the accused – Shri Om, Vivek, Gaurav, Saurabh, Sandip and Rupendra – had been arrested, and another two, Shivam and Vishal, were arrested two days after the incident, police officials had said.

Vishal is the son of a local BJP leader.

The ninth accused, a minor, was arrested from Delhi on October 12. The tenth and last accused, Hari Om, was arrested on October 19 last year. 

5) In December last year, the report submitted by the chief veterinary officer of Uttar Pradesh had said that the meat found in Akhlaq's house was mutton and not beef.

The report said, "Prima facie it seems that meat found in Dadri lynching victim's house belongs to goat progeny."