Alwar lynching victim Pehlu Khan booked for cow smuggling; AIMIM slams Congress govt in Rajasthan

ALWAR: The Rajasthan Police have filed a chargesheet for cow smuggling against Pehlu Khan, who was allegedly lynched by a mob of vigilantes in Alwar for transporting cattle in 2017. The filing of chargesheet against Pehlu Khan and his sons by the Rajasthan Police has triggered a political row with the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) attacking the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government in the state.

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Reacting to the incident, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday urged the Muslims in Rajasthan to stop supporting Congress, alleging that the party has a dual face.

"When Pehlu Khan was attacked, Congress condemned it. It is a condemnable act by the Ashok Gehlot government. I urge the Muslims of Rajasthan to stop supporting Congress and raise an independent platform," the AIMIM leader said.

Owaisi said that they (Muslims) had supported the party for 70 years but should have an independent platform now. Owaisi added that he has no confidence that justice will come from the state government.

The police chargesheeted the deceased on Friday under Section 6 of the Rajasthan Bovine Animal (Prohibition of Slaughter and Regulation of Temporary Migration or Export) Act, 1995. The chargesheet against Khan was prepared on December 30, 2018, 13 days after Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's government came into power in the state. According to section 6, the transporter is also an abettor and is liable for the same punishment as the person committing the offence.

In 2018, under the previous BJP government in the state, two FIRs were registered in the case. One was against the mob for beating Khan to death and second against him and his family for transporting cattle (cow) illegally out of the state. 

55-year-old Khan, a native of Nuh in Haryana, was allegedly beaten up by cow vigilantes near Behror in Rajasthan on the Delhi-Alwar highway on April 1, 2017, accusing him of smuggling cattle. He succumbed to his injuries at a private hospital on April 3, 2017.