Dadri cow slaughter FIR: Petitioner told to record statement

The city police have summoned the petitioner who sought an FIR against the victims in the Dadri lynching case, to record his statement. Police said the petitioner will have to visit the Jarcha police station before 2 pm on July 24.

“It is a part of the investigation. The petitioner will have to elaborate on what he saw and heard on the night of September 28 when Ikhlaq was lynched and Danish was critically injured,” said Anurag Singh, deputy superintendent of police, Dadri.

On the night of September 28 last year, a mob had attacked Ikhlaq and his son Danish at their residence at Bisada village over allegations of slaughtering a cow for consumption. Ikhlaq had died while Danish survived with a fractured skull. Eighteen people, including three juveniles, were arrested on charges of murder and assault. The mob had recovered a bowl of flesh from Ikhlaq’s fridge and the remains of an animal from near the transformer of the village. A forensic report said the meat belonged to ‘cow or its progeny’.

Read more: Dadri lynching: Accused seek details of meat, remains of carcass found in Bisada

Citing the forensic report and witness accounts, the petitioner, Surajpal Singh (70), had moved an application in the court seeking registration of an FIR under the Cow Protection Act against Ikhlaq and six of his family members.

“I am not the witness of the case. I am just a petitioner. I have already told the court whatever I saw or heard and I will tell the police the same,” said Surajpal.

Read more: Bisada lynching: Court orders FIR against Ikhlaq’s family for ‘cow slaughter’

According to his statement, local resident Prem Singh had spotted Ikhlaq, his son Danish, wife Ikraman, mother Asgari, daughter Shaista, brother Jaan Mohammad and sister-in-law Sona slaughtering a calf. He has accused Jaan Mohammad of slitting the calf’s throat and the rest of the family of holding the animal. Police said Prem Singh will be called for his statement. An FIR against all seven family members was registered at Jarcha police station last Friday following a court order.

“Once we get the statements of the witnesses of this case, a sequence of events will be recreated to probe the matter. All residents named in the application as witnesses will be asked to give their statements,” said the DSP.

Read more: Dadri lynching: Ikhlaq’s kin want three more booked, to meet SSP

However, Jaan Mohammad maintained that the police have not approached him yet.

“No police officer has contacted me. If anyone approaches, I will cooperate in the probe,” he said..