Family of man linked to murder of Muslim men claims violent raid, police deny

Jaipur:

Rajasthan police have denied the allegation of a woman who said her pregnant daughter-in-law lost her child after she was attacked during a raid on her home.

Her son, Srikant Pandit, has been charged in a case of the kidnapping and murder of two men by cow vigilantes. Pandit is a member of the cow guard group led by local Bajrang Dal leader Monu Manesar.

Dulari Devi, Pandit’s mother, also alleged in her complaint that the police had forcibly taken away her two other sons.

Senior police officer Shyam Singh claimed that the Rajasthan and Haryana police did indeed go to Pandit’s house but they never entered it.

“The suspect was not present. His two brothers had left home and were released after questioning. The woman’s allegations are false. Their relative is being accused and that is why they are making accusations,” he said.

Five men have been charged with alleged kidnapping and murder of two men whose charred bodies were found Thursday in Loharu in Haryana’s Bhiwani. The two victims, Junaid and Nasir, are said to have been kidnapped from Rajasthan’s Bharatpur.

Monu and Pandit are among the four evading arrests.

Dulari Devi alleged that a team from the Rajasthan police assaulted her relatives and kicked her pregnant daughter-in-law in the stomach, giving birth to a stillborn baby.

More than 40 members of the Rajasthan Police force forcefully entered her home and inquired about Srikant’s whereabouts, she alleged.

“When I told them that my son was not at home, they beat me and my son’s pregnant wife Kamlesh. They abused us and took my two sons, Vishnu and Rahul, and we still don’t know where they are .” she claimed.

“Police also kicked Shri Kant’s pregnant wife in the stomach and she developed a stomach ache. She was admitted to Mandi Khera Hospital and shortly afterwards referred to Nalhar Medical College, where her child was stillborn,” she claimed. Her daughter-in-law is still in critical condition in hospital, she said.

Junaid had a criminal record of cattle smuggling and was apprehended in five cases at different police stations, a police officer said.

Shyam Singh had previously said that a police case had been registered at Gopalgarh Police Station against five people – Anil, Srikant, Rinku Saini, Lokesh Singhla and Monu – based on a complaint filed by the relatives of the victims.