'Beaten With Metal Rods': 1 Lynched in Nashik Over Suspicion of Carrying Beef

This is the second incident of lynching by cow vigilantes being reported from Nashik this month.

In a second shocking incident from Maharashtra's Nashik this month, one man was lynched and another was seriously injured on Saturday, 24 June after vigilantes attacked them on the suspicion of smuggling beef.

The incident took place late Saturday night in Nashik's Ghoti police station limits when Afaan Abdul Majeed Ansari and Nasir Shaikh were traveling to Mumbai in a car and were intercepted by 15-20 unknown men.

The two men were then beaten by the vigilantes using "metal rods and wooden sticks," the complaint filed with the police said.

What unfolded after the attack: While both victims were alive when the police rescued them, Ansari succumbed to the injuries on the way to the hospital, sources told The Quint.

While it is unclear if the victims were indeed carrying beef, the complaint filed says that they were carrying "bull and buffalo meat." Both were residents of Qureshi Nagar in Mumbai's Kurla.

The police action that has been taken so far: Based on Shaikh's statement recorded at the hospital after the attack, the police filed an FIR and has arrested 11 people so far.

The police is also trying to ascertain as to how the vigilantes might have received information on the two victims and them carrying meat in their car, sources said. The meat recovered from them has been sent for testing.

The complaint was registered under the following sections of the IPC:

• 302 (punishment for murder)

• 307 (attempt to murder)

• 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint)

• 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means)

• 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means)

• 143 (punishment for unlawful assembly)

• 147 (punishment for rioting)

• 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon)

• 149 (unlawful assembly for common object)

Second incident this month: This is the second incident of lynching after Lukman Suleman Ansari (20), a resident of Padgha, Bhiwandi was killed allegedly by members of the Rashtriya Bajrang Dal on 8 June.

Ansari and his associates Aqueel Gavandi and Pappu Paddi were carrying cattle in a vehicle. Six people were arrested in the case.