No One Killed Pehlu Khan

Alwar/Jaipur: A local court announced the verdict in the Pehlu Khan mob lynching case on Wednesday, August 14. The court of additional district judge no 1, Sarita Swami, gave benefit of doubt to six of the nine accused in Pehlu Khan lynching case.

A total of nine people were accused in this case, of which three are minors and are being tried at a juvenile court. The verdict was given after the judge had heard complete arguments of both the sides on August 7.

Speaking to eNewsroom, immediately after the verdict, Qasim Khan, the lawyer representing Pehlu Khan and his family said, “All of the accused have been acquitted by the court. It’s disappointing but we shall be appealing to the High Court.” The accused were given a clean chit based on mobile phone records and statement of a cow shelter.

On April 1, 2017, Pehlu Khan, a dairy farmer and a resident of Jaisinghpura village, Haryana, was lynched by a group of cow vigilantes, when he and his two sons were passing through Behror, in a truck, which had cows. His truck was intercepted by youths working for Hindu Right-wing organisations and mercilessly beat him up. He was taken to a local hospital, where he breathed his last on April 3.

The dairy farmer was mercilessly beaten while transporting cattle on April 1, 2017. He had named the accused in dying declaration, but prosecution failed in getting justice for his family

It was one of the first mob lynching cases in Rajasthan and later several lynched. Only in Alwar, from Akbar to Umar and many other beaten to death over cattle or cow transportation.

Significantly, Pehlu was lynched during Vasundhara Raje led BJP government, and his case chargesheet filed during Ashok Gehlot led Congress government, but it seems nothing changed for the family members who were waiting for the justice.