We’re living in fear, say victims’ family; demand protection
ON JUNE 18, CATTLE TRADER QASIM, 38, WAS LYNCHED AND SHAMIUDDIN,65, WAS SEVERELY INJURED BY A MOB IN BAJHERA KHURD VILLAGE
NEW DELHI: The family members of 38-year-old cattle trader Qasim, who was lynched, and Shamiuddin, 65, who was severely injured by a mob in Hapur’s Bajhera Khurd village on June 18, said they are living in fear and have demanded police protection.
The two men were attacked allegedly on the suspicion that they were rounding up cattle for slaughter.
On Friday afternoon, the families held a press conference at the Delhi Press Club, under the banner of ‘Unitedagainsthate’, and demanded that a fresh FIR be registered and the probe be handed over to an independent agency from the UP Police.
Suspecting a ‘larger conspiracy’ behind Qasim’s lynching, his brother Nadeem alleged that he was killed because he was a Muslim cattle trader. Nadeem said Qasim had left home with around ₹60,000 but only ₹14,000 was found in his pocket.
“All I know is that someone called my brother on his mobile phone on June 18 and told him to come to a certain place on the pretext of a cattle deal. My brother left home around 11.30am and never returned,” Nadeem said, adding, “Police have not been able to identify the caller or trace my brother’s phone.”
Speaking to the mediapersons, Shamiuddin’s brother Mehruddin alleged that the contents of the FIR were not written the way they wanted.
He alleged that the contents were dictated by the police personnel who tricked his brother Yaseen into signing the complaint after promising him a “fair” probe.
When we met Shamiuddin in hospital, we noticed that his thumb had an ink mark. He did not know for what purpose his thumb impression was taken. We are scared. We cannot say much as we do not know what will happen to us,” Mehruddin said.
“In one of the videos of the lynching, some attackers can he heard asking Qasim about the whereabouts of a cow and a calf,” Mehruddin said.
Yaseen had earlier told HT that the complaint was written by about five people of his village and he had signed it without reading. “I was in a hurry as there were rumours that my brother was also killed. I did not write the complaint and signed it without reading,” he had said.
The Hapur police, however, refuted the allegations made by the families and maintained that the lynching took place over a road rage incident and not over a cow-related issue.
“We have already deployed police personnel at the houses of Qasim and Shamiuddin. Policemen are also present at the hospital where Shamiuddin is undergoing treatment. Two persons have been arrested and sent to jail. We are making efforts to nab the others,” Sankalp Sharma, superintendent of police, Hapur, said.