Cop who probed Akhlaq case killed in clashes over 'cow'

A police inspector, who had probed the Akhlaq lynching case initially, and a youth died of gunshot injuries on Monday as a rampaging mob protesting alleged illegal cow slaughter torched a police post here and clashed with cops, officials said. According to sources, a mob of saffron activists laid a siege to the Chingarwati police outpost in the district and dumped the bones — which they alleged were of bovines — on the road around noon. They demanded immediate arrest of the offenders.

Anand Kumar, additional director general of police, law and order, told reporters that around 400 people from three villages attacked the police outpost. The policemen, who were outnumbered by the mob, tried to disperse the crowd by using force and later opened fire. A youth, identified as Sumit Kumar, was killed in the firing.

Enraged over the death of the youth, the crowd went berserk and attacked the police outpost. It torched dozens of vehicles and allegedly opened fire at the cops.

Subodh Singh, the in-charge of Syana police station who had reached the spot on getting information about the violence, was dragged out by the mob and beaten to death, sources said. Some reports said Singh was hit by a bullet fired by someone in the mob. He was rushed to a hospital where the doctors declared him brought dead.

Over a dozen people, including policemen, were injured in violence, sources said.

Anand Kumar said Subodh Singh was hit by a blunt object and died of excessive bleeding. He said the situation was now “under control”.

“Additional security personnel have been sent to the affected area. The crowd has dispersed and the situation is peaceful now,” Kumar said. He said a special investigation team (SIT) will be formed to probe the incident.

Local residents said they had earlier also complained to the police about recovery of bones in the fields, but that no action was taken.

The violence kept the authorities on toes as thousands of Muslims had assembled at a place not far from the troubled spot for a religious meet. Sources said the police diverted vehicles carrying the participants to other roads following tension.

(With inputs from PTI)