AMN /
Mohammad Sartaj – the son of Mohammad Akhlaq who was mercilessly beaten to death on mere rumors that he had eaten beef, has expressed deep shock and anguish over the inhuman treatment made against his father and family on MOnday Thursday in Dadri in Uttar Paradesh. He wanted to leave the village along with his family where his ancestors lived for years.
“I want to know why they murdered my ailing father. What is the reason?”, asked grief stricken Sartaj – who worked with Indian Air Force
Corporal Sartaj said his father Mohammad Akhlaque was ailing and he had asked about his health on Monday evening during a routine telephone call. Barely half an hour later, he was informed that he was beaten to death.
“Around 25 minutes after I spoke to my father, my sister called and said ‘they beat father and dragged him out'”, Sartaj said.
Sartaj also alleged that among the attackers were also his neighbours, the people who had known the family for years.
“It was unblievable. There was no sign that something like this would happen. But, obviuosly, those who killed my father were neighbours”, Sartaj said.
Mohammad Akhlaque was dragged out of his house in Greater Noida’s Bishara village near New Delhi along with his 21-year-old son Danish on Monday night. Akhlaque was then beaten to death whereas Danish is in a critical condition since then.
The village also has about a hundred Muslims. The villages adjoining Bishara have similar demographics. Two of the villages are Gujjar dominated, but even there Muslims are in a vulnerable minority.
Eyewitnesses and relatives said an announcement was made at a local temple that a cow has been slaughtered here, following which a large number of people attacked the victims and their family. As the rumours spread, villagers blocked a highway in Bisrakh area demanding death penalty for those involved in the slaughter.
Superintendent of police (rural) Sanjay Singh said an FIR had been filed against 10 people, six of whom were nabbed and put behind bars. They have been identified as Rupender, Vivek, Sree Om, Sandeep, Saurabh and Gaurav, all in their late 20s.