A family in Khanpur village, located in the Moradabad district of Uttar Pradesh, has alleged that police forcibly entered their home, arrested a family member on suspicion of cow slaughter, confiscated their CCTV DVR, and threatened them with violence.
The family claims that Allah Meher Qureshi, also known as Majid (33), was taken from his home on September 19 by officers from the Mundha Panday police station. Qureshi, who works in dairy and buffalo milk production, is facing allegations of illegal cow slaughter.
Ajmaeen, Qureshi’s sister, stated, “My brother was sleeping when the police stormed our house. Upon arrival, they first removed the DVR from our CCTV system.” She reported that the police dragged Qureshi out despite resistance from the family and did not provide a reason for his arrest. She also accused the officers of abusing the family and damaging their clothing during the incident.
Witnesses have reported that the police threatened to carry out a “half encounter” on Qureshi—referring to a term often used in Uttar Pradesh that implies staged injuries to suspects in custody. Ajmaeen noted, “They [the police] included female officers and openly threatened us with Majid’s half encounter.”
Qureshi’s mother, Saira, who is a widow, expressed her distress, saying, “I kept pleading before them to spare him, but the police didn’t listen. They instead abused us.” She also alleged that police used stones to intimidate the surrounding community as they attempted to arrest her son.
The family believes that the police have been attempting to frame Qureshi for some time, having previously visited their home to check on his whereabouts. Eyewitness Ruksana described the scene, stating, “I saw that the officers were beating the family members and misbehaving with the women. When neighbors protested, the police started pelting stones to disperse the crowd.”
After the arrest, Qureshi’s wife and eight neighbors were also reportedly taken by the police. Qureshi’s cousin has filed a complaint at Mundha Panday police station, but an FIR has yet to be registered.
In response to inquiries about the situation, Kuldeep Kumar Gupta, a police officer at Mundha Panday, claimed, “Qureshi was absconding in the case of cow slaughter and hence has been arrested.” He confirmed the seizure of the DVR as evidence. Gupta noted, “They will raise more such allegations, and we are doing our work,” before directing further inquiries to the police station.
This incident reflects a concerning trend of custodial intimidation and violent practices associated with law enforcement in Uttar Pradesh. Rights groups have flagged “half encounters” as a form of torture that operates outside the legal framework. In 2021, the Allahabad High Court urged police not to glorify such encounters and reaffirmed that custodial violence violates the constitutional right to life and liberty.
Legal experts have emphasized that under the Uttar Pradesh Prevention of Cow Slaughter Act, police must adhere to due process, which includes obtaining warrants and safeguarding the rights of the accused. Any breach of protocol could constitute illegal detention and misuse of authority.
Human rights advocates assert that incidents like this foster a climate of fear, particularly among minority communities who face increased scrutiny under cow slaughter laws. Qureshi’s family has called for accountability from senior authorities, stating, “They came into our home like criminals, broke our cameras, and threatened to kill our son in an encounter.”
Tags: Muslim man, encounter, cow slaughter, Moradabad, police threats
Hashtags: #Police #threatens #Muslim #Man #encounter #forcibly #picked #suspicion #cow #slaughter #Moradabad
