As protests in Nuh demanding an inquiry into 21-year-old Waris Khan’s death continue to mount, the Haryana police says the post-mortem report confirms he died of “internal bleeding” and “blunt force injury.”
Speaking to The Quint, the investigating officer in the case Balbir Bhardwaj, said that the report cites internal bleeding as the cause of death. “We have the post-mortem report, and it says that he was a victim of a blunt force injury, had internal bleeding and his liver was also hurt. Prima Facie it looks like this could be a result of protrusions in the car that hurt him during the accident,” Bhardwaj, the incharge of the Khori Kalan police station said.
However, he added that the final conclusion will be based on a doctor’s opinion. “We have sent the report to a doctor for their opinion on cause of death. Things will get clear only then,” he said. “We cannot comment on whether this confirms he died of the accident or due to something else until the doctor gives an opinion.”
The report has been sent to the forensic laboratory in Madhuban, where it will be further assessed.
'Allegations Against Us A Lie': Bajrang Dal Member
Waris’ brother, Imran, however said that the family hasn’t been given the post-mortem report yet. “If there is such a report, we should have gotten it first. But they are keeping us in the dark,” Imran told The Quint.
Waris’ family and other villagers have alleged that he died after being beaten by members of the Bajrang Dal gau rakshaks. In a video from 28 January, Waris can be seen being aggressively shoved in a car along with two other men, following which the videographer asks them to tell their names on camera. Waris passed away hours later at a hospital.
Speaking to The Quint, Monu Manesar, a Bajrang Dal member who had first posted the video of Waris, which went viral, denied the allegations of his family members. “When we reached the spot, the accident had already happened. Yes I made that video. In that video, I am merely questioning them about their name and background. The police took them away from there. We did nothing else. All allegations of beating are a lie,” he told The Quint.
The police has maintained that he died of injuries caused due to an accident with another car, and that he wasn’t a victim of any physical assault.
The police have registered an FIR against the three men in the car, including Waris, under multiple IPC sections such as 298 (wounding religious feelings deliberately), 337 (negligent or rash behavior) as well as the Haryana Gauvansh Sanrakshan and Gausamvardhan Act. The police claim that Waris was carrying a cow in the car.
No FIR has so far been registered against Monu or other Bajrang Dal members.
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