A 32-year-old Muslim man from Multanpura in Madhya Pradesh’s Mandsaur district, identified as Sheru Susadiya, was reportedly lynched in Rajasthan’s Bhilwara by a group of alleged cow vigilantes who accused him of cattle smuggling, according to a report by The Indian Express.
Police in Bhilwara confirmed that five people had been taken into custody and that an FIR had been registered under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) related to attempt to murder, causing hurt, wrongful restraint, extortion, and unlawful assembly.
The complaint, lodged by Susadiya’s cousin Manzoor Pemla (36), mentioned that Susadiya and his associate, 34-year-old Mohsin Dol, had purchased a bull from the Lambiya cattle fair on September 16. The two were on their way home in a pickup truck when, at around 3 a.m., a silver camper allegedly began trailing them, eventually overtaking and blocking their vehicle. Pemla further noted that the attackers were soon joined by several men on motorcycles.
According to the FIR, the attackers allegedly pulled both men out of the pickup truck and assaulted them, accusing them of cow slaughter. Despite Susadiya and his companion Mohsin Dol reportedly insisting that the bull had been bought legally from the fair, the mob refused to believe them.
The complaint identified several individuals including Deva Gurjar, Kunal Malpura, Pradeep Rajpurohit and Nitesh Saini as being involved in the attack. While Mohsin was able to escape and hide, Susadiya was said to have been brutally beaten, Maktoob Media reported.
The FIR also claimed that Susadiya was robbed of the ₹36,000 he had with him. Around 3:30 a.m., Kunal allegedly called the complainant, Manzoor Pemla, from Susadiya’s phone and threatened that if the family wished to see him alive and avoid police action, they would need to pay ₹50,000 or arrange for someone else to deliver the money. Shortly after, Susadiya’s phone was switched off.
By morning, when the family was unable to locate either him or the vehicle, they reportedly received a call around 3 p.m. from the Banera police station, informing them that Susadiya had been admitted to a Bhilwara hospital with critical head injuries. By the time relatives reached the hospital, he had already been referred to Jaipur’s SMS Hospital for neurosurgical treatment. The referral slip from Bhilwara’s government hospital mentioned a “head injury.”
Sheru died from his injuries on Friday, after struggling for three days. He is survived by his wife, Naseem, and two young children. Meanwhile, authorities have opened a second case for possible cow smuggling.