BJP leader's son Vishal Rana and cousin named 'main conspirators' in Dadri lynching chargesheet

Nearly three months after Mohammed Akhlaq, 52, was beaten to death and his son almost crippled by a mob in Dadri for allegedly storing beef in their refrigerator at home, Gautambudh Nagar police on Wednesday filed a chargesheet against 15 people, including a minor, but there was no mention of beef in it. What is there though, is the name of Vishal Rana, son of a local BJP leader, and cousin Shivam as the main conspirators who led the mob to Akhlaq’s house and assaulted the family, reports The Indian Express. [caption id=“attachment_2459108” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Akhlaq Saifi’s family after the murder of their loved one/ Reuters[/caption] Akhlaq died in a Noida hospital. Danish is recovering after severe head injuries and complicated surgery. Akhlaq’s daughter, Shaishta, has been made the prime witness in the case. “Charge sheet has been filed against 15 persons. Additional charge sheet will be filed against few more persons whose names figured in the statement of Akhlaq’s daughter, Shaishta, recorded before the court. Two persons were arrested today while two others are absconding,” deputy superintendent of police Anurag Singh said. “Forensic report is yet to be received on whether the meat sample taken from the fridge of the deceased’s house was that of goat or cow. In the chargesheet it is stated that the accused persons had attacked the house of Akhlaq after announcement from the temple about cow slaughtering. The accused had found pieces of meat stored in fridge and they had claimed it to be that of beef,” Singh said. In their statement to police, Vishal and Shivam claimed they were asked by others to commit the act and were willing to identify those responsible, reports The Indian Express. “A supplementary chargesheet will be filed against two more suspects who were arrested today,” Deputy Superintendent of Police Anurag Singh said. “While Shaishta had given several details, it took more than two months to record Danish’s testimony since his condition was critical. They are the main witnesses,” a senior police officer said. According to police, the chargesheet mentions that allegations of cow slaughter had been among the reasons to attack Akhlaq. “However, samples of meat found in Akhlaq’s house have been sent for testing and we have mentioned in the chargesheet that samples were taken and that we are yet to receive this report,” police said. Police sources also said that the chargesheet mentions the list of evidence recovered from the scene of the crime and from the houses of some of the accused including sticks, samples of blood and a sewing machine, which was thrown on Danish’s head. Akhlaq’s family had initially named 10 suspects, including Vishal and Shivam, who were all arrested in a span of three weeks. Police sources said Vinay, a home guard, and four others were arrested on Monday. Vinay had initially claimed he witnessed the lynching but was arrested after Danish’s statement to the police. RSS mouthpiece on Dadri lynching Just before the Bihar wallop for BJP, RSS mouthpiece Panchjanya’s cover story defended the killing of Akhlaq Saifi, 52, in Dadri on the night of September 28 over what was allegedly beef in his refrigerator. [caption id=“attachment_2441388” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat. Agencies[/caption] The Indian Express reports that the RSS quotes Vedic texts to defend the shameful and brutal murder of an unarmed Muslim man who had just finished his dinner in a quiet town in Uttar Pradesh. For the record, here are some facts. India is the second largest exporter of beef in the world behind only Brazil and this comes from a crucial ambiguity of what constitutes beef. In most states, buffalo slaughter is legal and beef exports in the first six months of Modi’s leadership have actually increased. RSS mouthpiece Panchjanya has carried a cover story saying the Vedas order the killing of “sinners” who slaughter cows, says the report. It alleges that madrasas and the Muslim leadership teach Indian Muslims to hate the country’s traditions. “Akhlaq (the Dadri victim) perhaps slaughtered a cow under the influence of such bad deeds,” it states. Questioning the silence of writers, it asks them why they have been quiet on this issue. “Veda ka adesh hai ki gau hatya karne wale pataki ke pran le lo. Hum mein se bahuton ke liye to yah jivan-maran ka prashn hai (Vedas order killing of the sinner who kills a cow. It is a matter of life and death for many of us),” states the article ‘Is Utpat ke Us paar’ (The other side of this disturbance)’ by Hindi writer Tufail Chaturvedi who edits the journal Lafz. Tufail is the name Vinay Krishna Chaturvedi uses. In a Firstpost special on the high ground that Prime Minister Modi must take, R Jagannathan says that given the climate of hostility to his government, it is unlikely that Modi’s critics will accept “facts”. Moreover, as Prime Minister, he should be taking the higher moral ground, and, if possible, also fling the gauntlet to his opponents. Here is what Modi should be saying in his next Mann ki Baat, or, for that matter, his next “bhaiyon aur behenon” speech to the nation. “I have been saddened by the rise of intolerance in this country for a long time, and recent incidents in Dadri and some earlier killings of people who spoke against blind faith are simply unacceptable. I condemn all violence and intolerance of any kind. I am equally pained by the decisions of some writers to return their Sahitya Akademi awards. While I do not accept their claim that intolerance in a recent phenomenon, I accept their feelings as genuine and many of those returning their awards are doing so for non-political reasons as well. I would like to take this opportunity to assert my full backing for free speech and against attempts to impose one segment’s views on another. As for violence, there is simply no place for it in India. I urge state governments to act proactively to prevent violence of any kind. Read the Express story  here. Read the Firstpost special  here. With PTI inputs