SIT to probe thrashing of UP youth over ‘cow smuggling’

Sunit Dhawan

Tribune News Service

Rohtak, January 21

The police have constituted a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the confinement and beating up of a Muslim youth from Uttar Pradesh at a Rohtak village over suspicion of cattle smuggling.

Talking to The Tribune here on Monday, Rohtak SP Jashandeep Singh Randhawa said an SIT, headed by ASP Makshud Ahmad, would look into the two FIRs registered in the case.

“Strict legal action will be taken against the persons responsible for the wrongful confinement and beating up of the youth. Disciplinary action will be taken against the police officials dealing with the matter if any lapse is found on their part,” he said.

On Saturday night, some youths stopped Naushad, a resident of Shamli district in Uttar Pradesh, who was going in a pick-up vehicle, on suspicion of cattle smuggling at Bhalauth village in Rohtak district. The youths, led by Jaspal of Gumana village in Sonepat, called local residents to the spot.

Naushad was then tied to a pole and beaten. His companions Mehboob and Iqbal fled the spot sensing trouble. The victim said they were taking a buffalo and its three calves to a livestock fair and there were no cows in their vehicle.

Preet Singh, district president of the All-India Kisan Sabha, said he saw Naushad handcuffed and tied to a cot at the Sadar police station. He said he also clicked his pictures.

On the other hand, Manjeet, SHO, Sadar police station, said Naushad was never handcuffed or kept in police custody at the police station. He said two FIRs had been registered on the basis of the complaints lodged by Jaspal and Naushad, maintaining no arrests had been made so far.

While Naushad and his two companions have been booked under Section 11 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, and Section 13 (1) of the Haryana Gauvansh Sanrakshan and Gausamvardhan Act, 2015, a case against unknown persons has been registered under Sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 341 (wrongful restraint), 342 (wrongful confinement) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC on Naushad’s complaint.