BJP, Sena workers demand penal action against Akhlaq’s family

Defying prohibitory orders and a massive police presence, a group of BJP and Shiv Sena workers led a ‘mahapanchayat (public meeting) demanding penal action against the family of Mohammed Akhlaq, who was lynched to death in September over accusations that his family had consumed beef in their home. 

The meeting which was called by the kin of those accused of killing Akhlaq on Monday, also gave the district administration 20 days to file the FIR in the case.

Prohibitory orders were clamped and security was stepped up in Bishada village in the wake of a proposed mahapanchyat. District Magistrate of Gautam Budh Nagar NP Singh issued prohibitory orders and imposed section 144. Also, additional security personnel have been deployed in the village.

Residents of Bisada village, including kin of the accused met Gautam Budh Nagar SSP to press their demand for registration of an FIR against Akhlaq’s family after a forensic report stated that the meat found in Akhlaq’s house was that of “cow or its progeny”.

Early Monday morning, police said that panchayat would not be allowed because it would incite a new round of communal tension in the region but the meeting did take place in the evening by Sanjay Rana, the BJP politician whose son is in jail for Akhlaq’s murder . The meeting was held at the same temple where a priest had used the loudspeaker to rouse the village into action following which the mob headed for Akhlaq’s home. 

Nearly 400 people repotedly, joined the meeting.”People have been yelling that there has been cow slaughtering so something should also be done in this regard,” Rana said while stressing that “there is no tension in the village,” . The police said that it allowed the panchayat to proceed , as a way of keeping the peace.

Last week, a lab report said that meat collected from the scene of the crime had been established as that of “cow or its progeny”. 

The report contradicted an earlier document which stated the sample was goat meat. Villagers and BJP leaders want Akhlaq’s family now to be charged with cow slaughter. Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has questioned the authority of the new report submitted by the police in court and has stressed that what is important is punishing a mob that killed a man, irrespective of its motive.