Five individuals arrested in connection with the lynching incident involving a Madhya Pradesh resident.
A 35-year-old man from Mandsaur, Madhya Pradesh, was lynched in Rajasthan after being accused of cow smuggling. The incident occurred in the Bhilwara district during the early hours of September 16, as the man, identified as Aasif Babu Multani by The Hindu and as Sheru Susadiya by The Indian Express, was returning home with his cousin Mohsin in a pickup truck. They had just purchased cattle from a market in Bhilwara for their agricultural and dairy needs.
According to reports, a group of alleged cow vigilantes attacked Multani and his cousin after pursuing their vehicle. Manzoor Pemla, a family member of Multani, stated that their pickup truck was overtaken and blocked by another vehicle. Following this, several men on motorcycles approached them. Pemla claimed that the attackers forcibly removed both men from their vehicle and began to assault them, accusing them of slaughtering cows. Despite their explanations that they had bought the cattle legally, the assailants did not listen.
During the confrontation, Mohsin managed to escape and hide in the nearby forest, while Multani was left behind. Pemla alleged that the attackers, identified as Deva Gurjar, Kunal Malpura, Pradeep Rajpurohit, Nitesh Saini, and others, also stole Rs 36,000 from Multani. Furthermore, they used Multani’s phone to call his family, demanding an additional Rs 50,000 for his release and to avoid police intervention. This call was made from a phone that was later switched off, according to the family.
On September 17, around 3 pm, the family received a call from the Banera police station, informing them that Multani had been hospitalized in Bhilwara with a head injury. However, by the time they reached the hospital, Multani had already been transferred to a facility in Jaipur, where he succumbed to his injuries a few days later.
Pemla expressed that his brother’s only mistake was being a Muslim transporting cattle, emphasizing that there were no cows in the vehicle—only oxen and buffaloes. The family remains uncertain about the identities of the five individuals arrested by the police. Meanwhile, a first information report has been registered against the assailants, encompassing various charges, including attempt to murder, wrongful restraint, and unlawful assembly. Additionally, a separate case regarding cow smuggling has been initiated, reflecting the ongoing tensions surrounding cattle-related issues in the region.
The police have taken steps to address the situation by arresting five suspects connected to the lynching. The case has garnered attention, highlighting the complex and often dangerous dynamics surrounding cattle transport and allegations of cow smuggling in India.
