In Uttar Pradesh’s Aligarh, four Muslim men transporting meat in a container were stopped and brutally assaulted by a Hindutva mob in the Harduaganj area on Saturday. Their vehicle was also set ablaze by a mob, allegedly in the presence of police personnel.
Videos of the mob violence, shared on social media, show the four Muslim youth partially stripped and brutally assaulted. The case has been registered under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, including Sections 191(2), 191(3), 190, 109, 308(5), 310(2), and 3(5). The police have initiated legal action based on the complaint.
According to the First Information Report (FIR) registered at the Harduaganj Police Station, the complainant, Salim Khan, son of Rashid Khan, was travelling with his nephew, Akil Ibrahim, from Atrauli to the Aligarh mandi factory when their car was stopped.
The incident occurred around 8:30 AM on the road leading from Panethi Road to Sadhu Ashram Road.
The FIR names thirteen individuals, including Ramkumar Arya and Arjun alias Bholu, along with an additional 20-25 unknown individuals, as the accused. These individuals are reported to be residents of areas including Harduaganj and Aligarh. The group allegedly surrounded the vehicle and demanded ₹50,000 to allow them to pass.
When Salim Khan and Akil Ibrahim exited the car and objected to the demand, Ramkumar Arya and Lavkush reportedly ordered the others to assault them. The victims were allegedly beaten with iron rods, sticks, and dandis. During the assault, the accused are said to have searched their pockets and stolen mobile phones and money. Akil Ibrahim sustained injuries in the attack.
The FIR notes that there was a delay in reporting due to getting treatment for the injured.
Local leaders of the Bajrang Dal claimed that this was the same vehicle villagers had intercepted before with similar “illegal meat”. However, police clarified that it was buffalo meat.
Superintendent of Police (Rural) Amrit Jain said a police team reached the spot, rescued the four people and rushed them to a hospital. “The meat has been seized and sent for laboratory testing. A case has been registered, and a thorough investigation is initiated,” Jain said in a video posted on X.
He also noted that the transporter’s documents, including those for cattle slaughter, were in order at that time.
