Court orders FIR against family of Akhlaq who was lynched in Dadri

A court in Surajpur directed the Greater Noida police on Thursday to register a case of cow slaughter against Mohammad Akhlaq Saifi and his family under the UP Cow Protection Act, 1955.

In September last year, 50-year-old Mohammad Akhlaq was dragged out of his home and killed by a mob of at least 100 in Uttar Pradesh's Dadri over rumours that he had stored beef.

The court order came in response to a petition of some of the accused in the Akhlaq murder case who sought an FIR against Akhlaq and his family for alleged cow slaughter.

The police had earlier filed its report in the court stating that 'no FIR' on charges of cow slaughter and animal cruelty had been lodged against Akhlaq's family.

The petitioner had urged the court to direct the police to register an FIR against Akhlaq's family members on charges of cow slaughter and animal cruelty.

The petition claimed that on September 29 last year, two villagers from Bisada, Ranvir and Jatan, saw Akhlaq and his son Danish beat up a calf. Akhlaq allegedly told them that since the calf was attacking the people, he was going to tie up the animal at his brother Jaan Mohammed's house.

The petition said another villager Prem Singh while passing by Akhlaq's house saw the latter holding the calf down while his brother Jaan Mohammad was slitting the animal's throat.

According to the petitioner, Akhlaq was on September 28 night stopped near Bada transformer by some residents, while others reached his house and found a vessel with remains of some animal and meat.

The petitioner claimed the mob got out of control and beat up Akhlaq and his son Danish. Akhlaq was beaten to death.

The petitioner had also cited forensic report by the Mathura forensic lab, which said the meat samples sent by the police was of an animal of the cow progeny.