Maharashtra: 11 arrested in Nashik for beating to death man carrying meat
The vigilantes beat up two occupants of a car and one of them, Afaan Abdul Majid Ansari, a resident of Mumbai’s Kurla, later died, while the other sustained injuries but was reported to be stable
Eleven members of a vigilante group have been arrested from Maharashtra’s Nashik for allegedly beating a 31-year-old man to death with iron rods and a stick over suspicion of carrying beef in Nashik, police said on Monday.
Police said that the group of around 15 persons stopped a car on its way from Ahmednagar to Mumbai on Saturday after receiving a tip-off from a toll Plaza employee about meat in the vehicle. The vigilante group beat up two occupants of the car. One of the two, Afaan Abdul Majid Ansari, a resident of Mumbai’s Kurla, later died, while the other, Nasir Hussain Shaikh, also sustained injuries. Shaikh’s condition was reported to be stable.
The two were attacked around 25 km from the scene of another mob attack that left another person, Lukman Ansari, 25, transporting cattle dead on June 10. Six members of Rashtriya Bajrang Dal were arrested for murdering Lukman Ansari, whose body was found in a gorge.
Police superintendent Shahaji Umap said the 11 arrested in Nasik claim to be cow protectors. “They have been charged with murder. The accused will be produced before the court today [Monday]. This is for the first time that they engaged in this type of act.” Umap said the suspects arrested in the fresh lynching case are not linked to Rashtriya Bajrang Dal.
“The gau rakshak group [of Nashik] formed WhatsApp groups...whenever they got tip-offs that meat was being transported, they took action. The toll booth employee noticed blood stains on the car and informed a gau rakshak...,” Umap said.
Police said they seized 450 kg of meat and added only after forensic examination will they determine whether it is that of a buffalo or beef.
