Alwar mob lynching: Two suspects arrested, autopsy report awaited

JAIPUR: Rajasthan government on Saturday assured strictest possible action against those involved in the alleged lynching of a 28-year-old man in Rajasthan's Alwar district even as two suspects were arrested by the authorities.

"Proper investigation will be done and strict action will be taken against the accused. We try to rise above the cast and religious boundaries and investigate the case thoroughly. We have never left any lynching case untouched. In the same way, the culprits, in this case, will get the punishment they deserve according to the law,"  Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria said while speaking to reporters.

The assurance from the Home Minister came hours after a 28-year-old man, Akbar Khan, was allegedly beaten to death by a violent mob on the suspicion of cow smuggling in Alwar on Friday night.

The police later reached the spot and rushed the man to a nearby hospital. He succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment at the hospital. The incident occurred in the Ramgarh area of Alwar on Friday night.

The body of the deceased was moved to Alwar mortuary and later sent for post-mortem. The autopsy report is awaited. Khan's family members have demanded quick action in the case. "We want justice. The culprits should be arrested soon," his father Suleman said.

A case of murder has been registered in connection with the incident. Jaipur range Inspector General Hemant Priyadarshi has confirmed that two of the accused, Dharmendra Yadav and Paramjeet Singh Sardar, have been arrested.

Meanwhile, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje too condemned the incident and assured stern action against the perpetrators.

"The incident of the alleged lynching of a person transporting bovines in Alwar district is condemnable. The strictest possible action shall be taken against the perpetrators," Raje tweeted.

#Alwar में गो परिवहन से सम्बंधित वारदात में हुई नृशंस हत्या की मैं कड़े शब्दों में निंदा करती हूँ। पुलिस मामला दर्ज कर दो संदिग्ध व्यक्तियों से पूछताछ कर रही है। मैंने गृह मंत्री @GulabKataria जी को जल्द से जल्द मामले की छानबीन कर दोषियों को कड़ी सज़ा दिलाने के निर्देश दिए हैं। — Vasundhara Raje (@VasundharaBJP) July 21, 2018

The Opposition leaders have strongly criticised the Raje government for failing to stop such attacks. Congress general secretary Ashok Gehlot termed the incident ''horrific''. He said the man was lynched despite the Supreme Court's warnings.

Despite several measures taken by the Centre and the state governments, the incidents of mob lynching have been on a rise in the country.  

As per data compiled by the Ministry of Home Affairs, 45 persons were killed in 40 cases of mob lynching across nine states between 2014 and 3 March, 2018.

(With ANI Inputs)