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Cops Say Jharkhand Lynching Not Related To Cow Vigilantism, Result Of Victims 'Criminal Records'

The victim, they say, had been chargesheeted.
CHANDAN KHANNA via Getty Images

Even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a statement on the rising number of death relating to cow vigilantism, a man was lynched to death in BJP ruled Jharkhand.

The police have now said that they have identified the killers of meat traders Alimuddin aka Asgar Ali, and will ensure that they are brought to justice.

Ali, who the police said, was able to walk when they rescued him and later died of shock, was attacked in Ramgarh and his vehicle was set on fire.

There are no arrests yet.

The police said that Ali's alleged criminal past may have been the cause of the attack.

The Hindustan Times quoted Jharkhand Police ADG (Operations) R K Mullik as saying, "Ali had a criminal record, and was an accused in the kidnapping and murder of a child. He traded in beef and had been getting calls for ransom from his business rivals and local criminals. Still, that does not give anyone the licence to kill him. We will arrest the killers soon."

Security was beefed up in the Ramgarh area after the attack. The Hindustan Times reported that Ali was said to have been carrying four sacks of meat of 200 kgs.

While Ali was beaten up, and meat was strewn around the street, the police seems to be of the opinion that this was not a hate crime.

Mullik told The Indian Express, "This is a case of pre-meditated murder, which was made to look like an incident of lynching on the lines of a few incidents that have occurred in the state and other places. There are indications that the assailants, all of whom are from the majority community, would extort money from those allegedly involved in the trade of prohibited meat."

This incident comes close on the heels of an attacks on Muslims on suspicions of beef trading. While a Muslims family was attacked in Giridh earlier this week on suspicions of killing cattle, teenager Junaid Khan was killed because he was assumed to be a beef eater because of his religion.

While Narendra Modi has questioned the killings in the name of 'gau raksha', his pleas seem to have fallen to deaf ears.

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