Cow-Slaughter Top Focus, Murder on Back Burner: Bulandshahr Police

The UP police have made solving the case of alleged cow slaughter their first priority.

Vehicles were damaged after violence erupted in Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr.

(Photo: IANS)

A day after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath met the family of the slain police inspector Subodh Kumar Singh on Thursday, 6 December, the state police have made solving the case of alleged cow slaughter their first priority.

Additional Superintendent of Police (Bulandshahr) Rayees Akhtar told The Indian Express, "Our main concern at this moment is to find out who killed those cows. After all, it was the killing of the cows that led to the protest, which resulted in Inspector Subodh Kumar Singh’s murder."

Police’s belief is that once they solve the case of alleged cow slaughter, it will “throw light on how the murder occurred. Akhtar said, “The cow-killers are our top priority. The murder and rioting case is on the back burner for now.”

Police Echoing CM's Statement

In a late night review meeting a day after the killing of the SHO, Adityanath had ordered the police to focus on probing the cow slaughter and catching the accused in the case. However, the government statement hinted that the chief minister was silent on the killing of the cop.

Additional Chief Secretary (Information) Avinish Awasthi said:

“The UP chief minister directed (officials) for a thorough probe in the incident. Instructions were also issued to take stringent action against people involved in cow slaughter. The incident is part of a bigger conspiracy, and hence all those directly or indirectly related to cow slaughter should be arrested in a time-bound manner.”

ADG Files Report

The Additional Director General Anand Awasthi has filed a report in the unrest case and the same will be submitted to the chief minister on 7 December, according to News18. The report mentioned the case of a larger conspiracy.

The UP Speial Task Force (STF) will assist the four-member Special Investigating Team (SIT) in probing the violence.

The STF is assisting the SIT constituted by the government to probe the incident of cow slaughter and the subsequent violence, Inspector General (Crime) S K Bhagat told reporters.

Background

On 3 December, two people, including Subodh Kumar Singh, were killed by a violent mob after clashes broke out in Bulandshahr over suspicion of cow slaughter.

The police have filed two separate FIRs – one in the case of cow slaughter and another one against the mob that allegedly killed the cop. The FIR named 27 people in the mob violence and 60 unnamed persons were mentioned.

Yogesh Raj, senior leader of Bajrang Dal, was named as the prime accused along with members from Vishwa Hindu Prishad and RSS. According to reports, Yogesh Raj was arrested on 6 December.

In a video that surfaced on Wednesday, 5 December, Yogesh Raj is heard saying that he was not involved in the stone-pelting and firing incident that took place at the Chingrawati police chowki in UP's Bulandshahr.

“The police are portraying me as if I have had big criminal history. That day, two incidents happened. First, was the cow slaughter in Mahav village. I reached there and eventually resolved the issue, and went to the police station to file our complaint. When we were at the police station, we got to know about the stone-pelting and firing at that place (the Chingrawati police chowki).”

Yogesh Raj

(With inputs from The Indian Express, PTI)