India has had a number of mob lynching incidents in recent years, which have left several people dead and several gravely injured. The majority of horrific mob lynching incidents have occurred under the cover of “suspicions” of cow smuggling or slaughter. In yet another incident, Sabir Malik, a migrant worker from West Bengal, and Ashrudin a migrant worker from Assam along with his minor son Rakibul were lynched in Charkhi Dadri, Haryana, on August 27 over suspicions of consuming beef. The trio met the harsh fate where Sabir Mailk lost his life, Ashrudin and his son somehow managed to rescue. FoEJ Media contacted a fact-finding team of 26 members, led by JNU and talked Ashrudin to reveal the reality.
What’s the Reality Behind this Brutality?
On the morning of August 27, around 8 a.m., a group of 20 cow vigilantes, including minors, stormed into Hansavas Khurd village, located 3 km from Badhra, Chakri District, The group, led by members of the Gau-Rakshak Dal, threatened and assaulted the residents, accusing them of cooking cow . The incident unfolded after Sabir Malik, a local scrap dealer, and his family prepared the meat, that was not cow’s, in their makeshift huts.
On talking to FoEJ Media, Ashruddin said that “The cow vigilantes went to their location, threatened them, and even attacked them. ”
“A group of 20-25 people, including members under 18, went to their location,” he added.
Meanwhile, after assaulting the residents, the mob reportedly filed an FIR against them, and the police detained everyone present in the neighborhood of Sabir Malik and Ashruddin, excluding women and children.
As claimed by Ashruddin, the police detained the residents for 5 days. Sabir Malik and Ashruddin were not present at their house so they got saved from detention. But what happened to them after that was worse than the detention.
When Sabir Malik, and Ashruddin along with his minor son, Rakibul came back to their home, they saw the vigilantes waiting for them. The self acclaimed cow vigilantes did not allow them to go inside their homes and took them to the outskirts. They assaulted the trio, leading to the death of Sabir Malik on the spot and grave injuries to Ashruddin and his son Rakibul.
When the local people came to rescue Sabir Malik and Ashruddin, the vigilantes in the name of handing them over to the police, took the victims to the outskirts and killed Sabir Malik and gravely injured Ashruddin
“The Gau-Rakshak Dal members beat me and my son Rakibul so severely that they believed all three had died,” Ashruddin said
“Rakibul was also burned with a lighter during the brutal assault,” he added.
“Rakibul’s hands and feet were tied by vigilantes, and he was thrown into a drain, with the Gau-Rakshak Dal members believing that he had died,” Ashruddin further said.
On further conversation, Ashruddin told FoEJ Media that fortunately, Rakibul regained consciousness and managed to call their relatives, narrating the entire incident. They then rescued him and took him to a local government hospital for treatment.
Ashruddin further revealed that the cow vigilantes also tied him and threw him into the jungle.
“The cow vigilantes tied me and threw me in the Jungle,”Ashruddin.
The locals however rescued him and took him to the hospital. The doctors however, did not pay heed to his injuries and said “ye wahi hain na jinhone gae ka gosht khaya tha”
Feeling unsafe at the local hospital, Ashruddin left the hospital and sought treatment at a private hospital.
Ashruddin’s Life After the Lynching
On talking to FoEJ Media, Ashruddin said that he has migrated towards Tikri border, and has left his original residential area.
Ashruddin further stated that he is currently living with his relatives, who are supporting his medical expenses. However, due to his inability to work, he plans to leave for Assam in December.
Ashruddin’s left hand has stopped functioning, preventing him from being able to work. He claimed that he underwent an X-ray but has not been able to see the reports, as the police have taken them.
What Happened to Sabir Malik?
As revealed by Md. Kaif, one the members of the fact finding, Sabir Malik was so brutally assaulted that he could not bear the injuries and died on the spot.
Life of Sabir Malik’s Family after his Death
As reported by Kaif, Sabir Malik’s wife Shakina Malik and their two year daughter have left for West Bengal and are currently living there. The West Bengal government has offered Shakina a job as a cook at a school in the state.
Where are the Neighbors of Ashuddin and Sabir Malik?
As claimed by Kaif, Migrant families from areas have left the location, taking only a few of their valuables. As a result, the areas where they once lived are now deserted.
The Forensic Report
The forensic report submitted to the Haryana police confirmed that the meat seized from the house of Sabir Malik, who was killed by cow vigilantes on suspicion of consuming cow meat in Charkhi Dadri’s Bhadra area, was not beef.
“We had seized meat from their shanties in Hansawas village and sent it to Faridabad laboratory to confirm whether they had eaten beef or not. We have just received the report which has confirmed that there was no beef and allegations leveled by the cow vigilantes are not true,” Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Bharat Bhushan said.
(This article has been compiled with the assistance of the fact-finding Charkhi Dadri report by JNUSU.)
