‘Policemen took me straight from ICU’

Azmat Khan can’t walk anymore. A week ago, he would scoop his one-year-old daughter in his arms and take her to play.

Now, after beaten mercilessly by a mob of gau rakshaks and spending a day without treatment at the Behror police station, the 22-year-old needs support to stand up. These days, he lies on a cot inside his house, staring at the grief-stricken faces of his family members and occasionally answering questions of the visiting media persons with a sense of resignation.

“My brother was admitted in the ICU of a private hospital after he became unconscious. But two days later, the cops brought him to the police station from the hospital where he was kept for one full day without any treatment,” said his brother, Yousuf.

His family members alleged that Khan’s condition worsened after spending the day in the police station along with three other people. All of them had been victims of an attack by cow vigilantes on April 1.

“I was brought from the ICU to the police station where I was made to sleep on the floor. The police didn’t give any reason but didn’t let me leave for treatment,” Khan told HT.

“After the death of Pehlu Khan, we went to the station and pleaded with them to release my brother and the three men. Azmat was in such a bad condition that he had to be admitted to another hospital after he was released,” said Yousuf. Khan and his family haven’t heard from police since. “In Mewat, Hindus and Muslims lived like brothers for years without any enmity. We still can’t believe this happened and are shocked to find Azmat bedridden,” said neighbour Mangal Ram.