Mob kills man in Himachal for smuggling cattle

Close on the heels of the Dadri episode in Uttar Pradesh, agitated villagers in Sirmour district of Himachal Pradesh allegedly lynched a man on Friday evening for smuggling cows. The incident took place at Sarahan, which is located 39 km away from district headquarters Nahan. Identified as Noman, the 22-year-old victim hailed from UP’s Saharanpur district and was part of the interstate cattle smugglers network, police sources said.

Sources said five cattle smugglers, who were ferrying five cows and 10 oxen in a UP-bound truck, were chased and stopped by villagers in Sarahan and the smugglers met with an accident while they were trying to escape to Nahan. They were successful in offloading the cows at Lawasa Chowki area, but sources said one cow died and four others were injured when the smugglers pushed them off the vehicle.

The smugglers abandoned the vehicle and took shelter in a nearby forest. However, they were beaten up after being spotted by villagers after several hours of chase. The villagers outnumbered the police as they reached the spot. The smugglers were then taken to the nearby hospital where Noman succumbed to injuries. His accomplices, who were identified as Gulfam (24), Salman (20), Gulzar (22) and driver Mohd Nishu (37), hail from Rampur village of Saharanpur district and were admitted to the Sarahan hospital. The four have been booked under different sections of the Himachal Pradesh Cow Slaughter Act and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.

The police have also registered a case under Section 302 of the IPC against unidentified persons on the basis of a complaint filed by Imran, Noman’s relative.