28-yr-old shot dead during cow vigilante violence in Rajasthan
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New Delhi: A young man was killed during a violent confrontation between cow vigilantes and people transporting cattle, with his family claiming he was an innocent bystander and not involved in the skirmish.
According to The New Indian Express, the deceased, identified as Aamir, was allegedly shot dead by workers of the Bajrang Dal, though police are investigating whether the fatal injury was caused by a gunshot or by stones.
A Dainik Bhaskar English report states that Aamir, 28, was a resident of Utawad in Palwal district of Haryana. He was married and leaves behind a two-year-old daughter. The incident has reportedly left the local town on edge.
Bhiwadi DSP Kailash Choudhary told The New Indian Express that a pickup truck loaded with cattle was being pursued by a group of people when a confrontation occurred near Sare Kala village. According to the police, stones were hurled from both sides during the clash. Dainik Bhaskar quotes the DSP as saying that Aamir was in the pickup truck at the time.
However, Aamir’s family has strongly disputed this account. “He was standing by the wayside when the violence began. He was killed in cold blood,” Aamir’s uncle Yahya told The New Indian Express. Following a post-mortem conducted around 5 pm, Aamir’s body was handed over to the family.
It remains unclear whether those transporting the cattle were “smugglers,” as some reports have suggested.
Rajasthan has frequently witnessed violent incidents linked to cow vigilantism, almost exclusively affecting Muslim and Dalit communities. Notable past cases include the 2017 murder of Pehlu Khan and the 2018 lynching of Rakbar Khan.