7 arrested in Bareilly man’s lynching case

LUCKNOW: FIVE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ARRESTED FOR MURDER, WHILE THE TWO WHO TOOK THE VICTIM WITH THEM ARE CHARGED WITH THEFT AS WELL

Two days after a tailor and alleged cattle thief named Shahrukh Khan was lynched in in Bholapur village of Bareilly in the wee hours of Wednesday, the Uttar Pradesh police on Friday arrested seven people. Superintendent of police (city), Bareilly, Abhinandan Kumar said the arrested men included two, Mohd Majid and Pappu, who had taken Shahrukh to the village.

“Five residents of Bholapur village – Gajendra Pal (56), Mukesh Lal (40), Kishan Pal (36), Ahibaran (34) and Mukesh Pal (41) – have also been arrested on the basis of preliminary investigation. They have been charged with murder and are being interrogated,” he added. Kumar said Majid and Pappu had been charged with theft and murder.

There have been several instances of lynching in recent times, of suspected cattle thieves and child lifters.

In his report lodged at the Cantonment police station, Khan’s brother Mohammed Firoz claimed that Majid and Pappu had given some drug to Shahrukh before taking him to Bholapur.

“I received a call from the police on Wednesday morning asking me to reach the hospital. When I reached there, I found Shahrukh had injuries all over his body. He told me that Majid and Pappu had taken him to the village with them. Shahrukh passed away after some time,” Firoz said in his complaint.

The SSP said the villagers claimed that they saw Shahrukh, Majid and Pappu stealing a buffalo. “This apparently enraged some villagers who attacked Shahrukh,” he added.

Shahrukh used to work as a tailor in Bareilly. He had gone to Dubai on a travel visa and had returned to Bareilly on Wednesday last week, the day of Bakrid.