Bharatpur killing: Victims’ relatives sit on dharna, accused demand CBI probe

The charred remains of two Muslim men from Rajasthan’s Bharatpur were found inside a charred vehicle in Haryana’s Bhiwani district on Thursday

The relatives of the two Muslim men, whose remains were found on Thursday inside a charred vehicle in Haryana’s Bhiwani district, sat on an indefinite dharna in Rajasthan’s Bharatpur on Sunday, even as the accused named in the first information report (FIR) claimed innocence and demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the case.

Senior officers of the Rajasthan police on Saturday said that their preliminary investigation had pointed at cow vigilantism as the reason behind the crime. (PTI Photo)

Meanwhile, the Rajasthan police said no new arrest was made in the murder on Sunday, except Rinku Saini, a driver from Haryana, who was arrested on Friday and sent to five-day police custody by a court on Saturday. Senior officers of the Rajasthan police on Saturday said that their preliminary investigation had pointed at cow vigilantism as the reason behind the crime.

The victims’ relatives and family members carried out the dharna next to the grave of the deceased Junaid (35) and Nasir (27) in Bharatpur, and demanded the arrest of Monu Manesar, one of the five accused named by the victims’ family in the FIR.

“We are not given justice. Monu Manesar should be arrested and till then we will continue the dharna,” said one of the relatives Junaid.

The charred bodies of Junaid and Nasir — both cousins and residents of Ghatmika village in Rajasthan’s Bharatpur district — were found inside a four-wheeler in Bhiwani district On Thursday afternoon.

Their families alleged that the victims were beaten and murdered by members of the Bajrang Dal, a claim rejected by the Hindu right-wing outfit.

Demanding a CBI probe of the incident to bring truth in front, one of the accused named in the FIR, Lokesh Singhla Mewat, in a video clip, stated that the issue should not be given a religious or political colour. Singhla is the district president Gau Raksha Dal, Mewat.

“I have been named in the FIR but it is not based on any truth. I was present in court with my friend on February 14 and the police can check the CCTV footages. On the next day, I was in a hospital as my son was unwell,” he said in the video clip circulating on social media.

“I urge the Rajasthan and Haryana governments not to give this issue a religious or political colour, and get the matter probed by CBI to bring truth in front,” he said.

“I express my deepest condolence to the the families. We are gau rakshaks and not killers. We are social people and are not involved in any crime,” said Singhla. He added that action should be taken against the people involved in the crime and innocent be protected.

Singhla’s video came a day after Monu Manesar claimed alibi.

“I was in a Gurugram hotel when this incident occurred... and we have video. The two victims were unknown to me and I have no idea what happened to them. We are also investigating this issue on our end to find out the culprits,” Manesar was quoted by news agency ANI.

Meanwhile, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi alleged that there is an entire gang, which threatens people in the name of gau-rakshak and do extortion.

“They have crossed all limits to an extent that they came 150 km away, kidnapped Nasir and Junaid. The victims’ relative, Ismail in his complaint stated that they were beaten brutally and even gave to police but they denied taking as they were about to die. There after a charred body and vehicle was found,” he said.

The Hyderabad member of Parliament (MP) also trained his guns at both the Congress-led Rajasthan government and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Haryana government over the issue.

“It is necessary that the government at the Centre and in Haryana break ties with them, and let law take its own course. Had the Rajasthan government prompted swiftly on missing complaint they would have been alive,” he said.

BJP MLA and spokesperson Ram Lal Sharma said the incident would not have happened if the Rajasthan police had taken action on the person (deceased) who had five cases against him and on whom the police had announced a reward.

“No one has the right to take law in hand. The issue should be probed impartially,” he said.