Dadri: A 50-year-old man, Mohammad Akhlaq, was beaten to death by a mob near Delhi, allegedly over rumours that he and his family was eating beef. Akhlaq and his 22 year old son were dragged out of their house by villagers and beaten with bricks in Dadri in Uttar Pradesh, around 45 km from the capital.
Akhlaq died on the spot and his son has been admitted to the hospital in critical condition. Before assaulting the victim and his son, the villagers broke into the house, wrecked everything and even attacked the women. Recalling the horror, Akhlaq’s wife said, “My husband was bleeding and his head was smashed. My husband had no enemies.”
The men were still being beaten when the police arrived. Six men were arrested from the spot. According to the SSP, a case of rioting and murder has been registered against 10 people.
As the news of the arrests spread, residents from Bisara and neighbouring villages clashed with the police damaging vehicles, including a police van, and burning a motorcycle. Villagers have claimed that a boy was injured in the firing.
The police has sent the meat recovered from the family’s home to the Forensic Science Laboratory to verify what meat it was.