Hapur lynching case: Uttar Pradesh Police files status report in SC, matter to be heard on 8 May

New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh Police on Wednesday filed a status report in Supreme Court on the investigation carried out into Hapur lynching case in which a man was killed and another assaulted, allegedly over cow slaughter charges. The Court posted the matter for hearing on May 8 and asked the petitioner’s advocate to file a response. [caption id=“attachment_5478391” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of the Supreme Court of India. AP[/caption] The plea was filed by a survivor of the incident, Samiuddin who demanded the setting of an SIT ( Special Investigating Team) for an “impartial” investigation in the case. The apex Court has asked the UP Police to file a fresh status report on 8 April. The Supreme Court on 11 February had issued a notice to the UP Police on a plea filed by the son of Qasim, the victim in the Hapur lynching case, seeking direction for an SIT probe under an officer from another state. The apex court also tagged the matter with earlier pending pleas. In September 2018, the top court said that the investigation in the matter will be conducted under the supervision of Meerut’s Inspector General of Police (IG). The apex court also said that the IG Meerut will adhere and follow the court’s judgment while conducting the investigation in the case. In June 2018, 38-year-old Qasim, a cattle trader, was lynched to death and 65-year-old Shamsuddin was severely injured in Uttar Pradesh’s Hapur district after a group of people attacked them on suspicion of being involved in cow slaughter.