Police in Aligarh have detained two individuals following a mob attack on meat trader Shareef Qureshi on Saturday, December 20. The incident occurred on Hanumgarhi Road, where Qureshi was accused by a group of transporting beef.
Qureshi, who has been in the meat trading business for 20 years, asserts that he was carrying buffalo meat and possesses valid purchasing documents from a supplier in Aligarh intended for Harduaganj. According to Qureshi, a group of men intercepted him, claiming he was transporting cow beef, and began assaulting him with hoses and belts while verbally abusing him.
Despite Qureshi’s attempts to present his documentation, including valid bills, the assailants ripped them apart. After the attack, he reported the incident to the police, claiming an attempt to lynch him by seven men. His complaint, filed at Harduaganj Police Station, includes details about the mob arriving in a car and on motorcycles.
Qureshi stated that he was attacked with bricks, publicly humiliated, and that his documents were destroyed. His motorcycle also sustained damage during the attack. The group fled the scene as police arrived.
The Aligarh police have registered a case under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), specifically Sections 191(2) and 191(3) concerning rioting; 126(2) for wrongful restraint; 115(2) for voluntarily causing hurt; 351(2) for criminal intimidation; and 324(4) for mischief. The FIR names seven individuals—Naveen Chaudhary, Sumit Thakur, Anuj Pandit, Aditya Hindu, Yashu Pandit, Prashant Jatav, and Sheelu Rajput—along with an additional 10 to 12 unidentified individuals.
To determine the nature of the meat, authorities have collected a sample and sent it for forensic testing in Mathura. The investigation is ongoing, with police actively searching for additional suspects while awaiting lab results.
In an interview with Maktoob, Qureshi, 42, a resident of Harduaganj, described the incident: “I was coming to my place as usual when they stopped me at Harduaganj outer and started beating me without even saying a word.” He continued, “They were constantly abusing me and accusing me of carrying cow beef. They tore the papers and bills I had from the purchase. They took all the money and my mobile phone.”
Qureshi, a licensed retailer, travels to Aligarh daily to buy buffalo meat for his small shop in Harduaganj. He noted the rising violence against traders like himself and expressed concerns about switching professions, stating that his family relies on his income as a daily-wage worker.
The trader said he has long feared an incident like this might occur: “Though I have been in this meat trading work for years, I was always scared that this could happen one day—and it happened.” His family has filed a police complaint but remains doubtful about receiving justice.
Shah Alam, Qureshi’s brother, expressed skepticism about the legal process, stating, “We have filed a complaint, but we are not sure how long it will take to get justice. We have witnessed how the law works.” He cited previous gruesome cases, such as the lynchings of widely publicized victims, and emphasized their lack of importance to governmental and state agencies.
Alam stated, “We just hope that every one of us gets justice—first dignity, the right to live peacefully, and justice. That’s the only thing we need.” He lamented the perception that Muslims are treated as second-class citizens within the system.
Raja, a Youth Congress leader in Aligarh who visited the Qureshi family after the assault, remarked, “Every day or the other this happens, and it is increasing.” He mentioned a meeting with the Senior Superintendent of Police, who assured him that justice would be served and that two arrests had been made, with further searches for other suspects in progress.
Qureshi sustained multiple injuries, including significant stitches on his mouth, and is currently recovering at home after discharge from JN Medical College, where his condition was labeled as “uncritical.” Rajeev Dwivedi, Circle Officer (II) at Aligarh, confirmed that Anuj Pandit and Sheelu Rajput have been taken into custody for interrogation.
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