Exclusive: Akhlaq’s Family Pressurised to Drop Dadri Lynching Case

Akhlaq’s brother fears for life, saying he and his family are being pressurised to drop the case.

Mohammad Akhlaq’s brother may never return to Bisada village. The frequent death threats have him and his family fearing for their lives.

In an exclusive interview with The Quint, Jaan Mohammad claims the real ‘conspirators’ in his brother Akhlaq’s murder are still roaming free. He says he’s being threatened by many – including small-time politicians – to withdraw the case.

Abhi bhi hume dhamkiya milti hai. Sirf dhamki nahi, log aate hai humare pass 20-25 ki shankhya main. Pressure karte hai ki likh kar de dijiye ki hum koi case nahi chahte. Abhi 2-3 din pehle bhi aaye the yeh log. Kabhi chote mote neta ko bhi bhejte hai. (We still get threats. 20-25 people visited us two or three days ago. They pressurised us to take back the case. Sometimes small-time politicians approach us as well.)

Jaan Mohammad, Akhlaq’s brother

Akhlaq’s brother, Jaan Mohammad, left Bisada village after Akhlaq was murdered there for allegedly consuming beef. Fearing threats to his life, Mohammad settled elsewhere Dadri with his family. He says he never got any police protection he could avail of.

Humne police se security mangi thi. Unhone hume likhit main diya ki, 6128 rupaye jama karne honge jise ek mahine ke liye sada kapdo me surakhsha karmi mil sakta hai. Lekin yeh mamla ek mahine ka toh hai nahi aur na hi hum wo kharcha lene ke condition main hai. (We asked police for protection. They informed me in writing that I have to spend Rs 6128 to get plain-clothes policemen for a month. But this is not a matter of one month. Nor can we afford this kind of money.)

Conspirators Still At Large

Expressing dissatisfaction with the pace of the investigation, Mohammad laments the fact that the conspirators are still scot-free.

Police ne abhi tak un logo (conspirators) ko arrest nahi kiya. Police ne jaach karke kuch pata nahi kiya ki iss saazish ke peeche kiska haath hai. Bus unhi logo ko arrest kiye hai jinka naam in bachcho ne (Akhlaq’s children) ya humari bhabhi ne liye hai. (Police has not yet arrested the conspirators behind the murder. During the investigation, police didn’t try to go after those involved in the conspiracy. They have arrested only those named by Akhlaq’s children and his wife.)

Mohammad firmly believes that the alleged consumption of beef had nothing to do with his brother’s murder. He wonders if political conspiracy could be involved, and alleges that the Uttar Pradesh police have made no efforts to unravel the truth behind the murder.

Kyu kiya inhone aisa, koi rajnetik ya aur koi mansa thi, yeh hum bhi nahi samjh paye abhi tak. Jinhone ne saajish ki thi wo abhi wahi Bisada gaon main hai. Wo kaha jayenge? (We still don’t know the motive behind the murder. Whether it was for political reasons or something else, we don’t know. Those who conspired are still in Bisada village, where would they go?)

Recently, a Mathura-based forensic laboratory’s report has claimed that the meat collected from the crime scene in Bisada village in Dadri belonged to ‘a cow or its progeny’. This contradicts an earlier forensic report, which said that the meat in Akhlaq’s freezer was mutton. So far, police have said that the new disclosure will not affect the case.

In Bisada village, rumours are flying that one Sanjay Rana, a villager with ties to a political party, may have been involved.

Gaon ke jo log hai saare kehte hai ki Sanjay Rana ne hi yeh kaam kiya. Uske alawa humare gaon me koi aur prani is soch ka nahi hai. Waise koi aparadhi toh hai nahi lekin ek party vishesh se juda hua nahi hai. Yeh kaam uske akele Sanjay Rana ki ho nahi sakta. Ya toh uske saath koi rajnetik sahayak ho ya aur koi gaon ke log ho jo iss tarah ki soch rakhte ho. Lekin abhi bhi sahi se nahi pata ki usne aisa kyu kiya. (Villagers all say that Sanjay Rana was involved in this incident. There is no one else in our village who could be involved. He is not a criminal, but he is associated with a political party. A few others could have conspired with Rana, but we still don’t know the reason behind the murder.)

Jaan and his family are now living in fear, unable to return to the village where Akhlaq was murdered. Despite skepticism of the way the investigation is being handled, Jaan says he has faith in the law, and hopes to see justice done for him and his family.