Dadri Lynching Charge-sheet Names 15 People Including Minor, 'Beef' Not Mentioned

Mohammad Akhlaq, 52, was killed by the village mob while his youngest son Danish was critically injured in the attack in September.

NEW DELHI Three months after the mob lynching of a Muslim man in Uttar Pradesh‘s Dadri over rumours that he had stored beef, 15 people including the son of a BJP politician have been named in the police charge-sheet.

On September 28, Mohammad Akhlaq, 52, was dragged out of his home and beaten to death by a mob after announcements were made at a local temple that a calf had been killed. Akhlaq’s son Danish was beaten so brutally that he had multiple surgeries.

In the 250-page charge-sheet, the police have named young men allegedly linked to local BJP leader Sanjay Rana; one of them is his son Vishal. Two of Vishal’s cousins are also among the main accused. The police do not, however, mention any political motive.

The attack, says the charge-sheet, was mainly driven by rumours of a ‘particular type of meat’ at the victim’s house. The word ‘beef’ is not mentioned, say sources.

Two more offenders who are minors are likely to be named in a separate charge-sheet.

Danish Akhlaq has told the police that most of the attackers were known to the family.

Four persons were arrested earlier this week based on his statement and that of his sister Shaista, who testified before a court last month. Seven had been arrested earlier.

The Akhlaq family now stays in Delhi with Danish’s older brother Sartaj, an Indian Air Force man.

“We were beaten that day for no fault of ours. If you stay in a village where you are beaten without any reason, can you go back? I don’t ever want to go back,” Danish told NDTV earlier this month.

Opposition parties have targeted the BJP over the incident and called it an example of growing intolerance in the country.

Responding to the criticism, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at a rally in Bihar last month: “In a democracy everyone has the right to speak their mind. But Hindus must decide whether they want to fight Muslims or poverty. Muslims must decide whether they want to fight Hindus or poverty.”http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/dadri-lynching-case-15-people-including-a-minor-named-in-chargesheet-1258286