A horrific confusion cost the life of a Class 12 student in Haryana’s Faridabad, when a cow vigilante group mistook him for a cattle smuggler on August 23.
The incident took place on the Delhi-Agra highway, where the accused chased the victim's car for nearly 30 kilometers before shooting him dead. The vigilante group members have been identified as Anil Kaushik, Varun, Krishna, Adesh, and Saurabh, according to a report by NDTV.
The victim Aryan Mishra and his friends, Shanky, Harshit, and two other girls were in the car during the incident.
His father, Siyanand Mishra, expressed his shock, stating, "I was completely unaware of any issues involving my son. It was only later that I learned Aryan was shot over allegations of cow smuggling." Mishra questioned the authority behind such actions, asking, "Who grants the right to take such drastic measures based solely on suspicion? If the Modi government endorses this, it’s deeply troubling." The case has led to the arrest of five individuals, and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is now handling the matter, aiming to address the situation.
As per reports, the cow vigilantes received a tip-off about cattle smugglers operating in Renault Duster and Toyota Fortuner vehicles, scouring the city for cattle. While on the lookout for these smugglers, the group encountered a Duster and signaled the driver, Harshit, to pull over. However, Harshit did not comply, fearing that their friend Shanky's past feud might have led to an attack by hired goons.
#WATCH | Faridabad, Haryana: A student of class 12th shot dead on suspicion of cow smuggling.
His father, Siyanand Mishra says, "My son named Aryan Mishra was a student of Class 12. I was not aware of anything...Later, I got to know my son was shot on suspicion of cow… pic.twitter.com/ALFp4m75BR
— ANI (@ANI) September 3, 2024
When Aryan and his friends failed to stop the vehicle, the accused men kept pursuing their car. Upon catching up, they fired at the vehicle, striking Aryan, who was in the passenger seat, near the neck. When the car eventually stopped, fearing retaliation, the attackers fired again, hitting Aryan in the chest.
Reportedly, the attackers soon realised their mistake as they noticed two girls in the car. Fearing that they had targeted the wrong person, they fled the scene.
Aryan was rushed to a hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries the following day.
The weapon used in the attack was alleged to be illegal. The five accused are currently in police custody.
