Alwar murderers tried to stop cow smuggling: Police

JAIPUR/ BHARATPUR: The attackers were basically antisocial elements who attacked Umar and two other passengers of the pickup as they were smuggling cows. They later asked somebody else to dump Umar’s body on the track RAHUL PRAKASH, Alwar SP

A 35-year-old man found dead on railway tracks in Rajasthan’s Alwar was killed by “anti-social elements” trying to stop cow smuggling, police said on Monday, possibly a rerun of the murder of Muslim trader Pehlu Khan earlier this year that triggered nationwide protests.

Until now, the police had denied any connection between the killing of Umar Mohammed, whose body was found on railway tracks in Alwar’s Ramgarh on early Friday, and the recovery of a badly-damaged pickup van with cows found about 15 km away the same day.

But after two days of investigations, Alwar SP Rahul Prakash made a volte-face, saying the two incidents were linked and that the killers of Umar Mohammed were “anti-social elements”. But he refused to use the so-called term cow vigilantes, who have over the past year become synonymous with a string of attacks on cattle traders across India.

Prakash said an FIR for murder had been lodged on the basis of a statement by Ilyas Khan, Umar’s uncle. Police have taken in a suspect, who has allegedly named five others. Umar’s autopsy is held up because of objections from the family.

“The attackers were basically anti-social elements who attacked Umar and two other passengers of the pickup as they were smuggling cows. They later asked somebody else to dump Umar’s body on the railway track,” said Prakash.

Umar Mohammed’s pickup had three passengers, including him. Tahir Khan, one of the passengers, was found with a bullet wound and taken to a hospital in Ferozepur in Haryana. He was later allowed to go home. It wasn’t clear how he was wounded.

The third occupant, Javed Khan alias Jabba, escaped unhurt and reached their native village Ghatmika in Rajasthan on Friday evening.

Umar Mohammed’s killing is reminiscent of the murder of cattle trader Pehlu Khan who was waylaid and lynched by cow vigilantes near Alwar on April 1. Khan had documents to prove he wasn’t smuggling cows.

Focus on cow protection, especially by vigilante groups, has