The Uttar Pradesh Police on Saturday arrested two alleged main accused — 18-year-olds Shivam Rana and Vishal Rana — in connection with the Dadri lynching case in which Mohammad Ikhlaq, 50, was killed and his son Danish, 22, critically injured by a 200-strong mob which had barged into their house in Greater Noida’s Bisara Village in Dadri on Monday night over rumours that the family had consumed beef or slaughtered a cow.
The arrest led to widespread protest with the locals complaining that police had rounded up men who were not connected with the incident in any way. A mob also blocked roads, threw stones at police personnel and set a police vehicle on fire.
Deputy Superintendent of Police, Dadri, Anurag Singh said both of them were hiding in farmhouse in a nearby village. According to reports, Vishal is a son of a local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member. Two other accused are on the run. Ikhlaq’s family had alleged that Vishal forced the local temple priest to announce that cow was slaughtered and stored in their house.
Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday raised the ex-gratia given to the Dadri lynching victim’s family to `20 lakh. “The CM has decided to hike the amount of financial assistance being extended to the kin of the victim from `10 lakh to `20 lakh,” an official spokesman said in lucknow.
Following Bisara’s uneasy tryst with unprecedented media glare and steady stream of politicians, locals erupted in anger on Saturday and forced the administration to prevent Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and some State Congress leaders from entering the village. They were, however, later allowed their entry.
Earlier in the day, reporters who were in the village to cover Kejriwal’s visit had to face hostile villagers with a mob of 500 women taking to the streets, preventing journalists and politicians from reaching the village. Also, mediapersons were attacked and a cameraperson was injured and his equipment damaged.
The authorities said they have sealed the village following a request from the victim’s son for “peace” in their hour of grief. District Magistrate NP Singh had on Friday said the victim’s son Sartaj had given a written request that the family does not want to meet anyone as a steady stream of visitors was causing harassment to them.
Kejriwal met the grieving family and lashed out at political parties “spreading poison” between Hindus and Muslims for votebank politics. “One political party is trying to consolidate Hindu vote bank, while another is trying to make Muslims their vote bank by spreading poison between the two communities. It is wrong,” Kejriwal later said, adding, “If somebody thinks Hindu religion is in danger and that is why Muslims are being targeted, then he cannot be a Hindu.”
Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi also met the grieving family. The Congress Twitter handle also put out pictures of Rahul interacting with the family members of the deceased. Gandhi also met other villagers.
“Hatred between our people weakens India. We have to stand together and fight those who spread it. It is very sad to see the trust and harmony built over decades, destroyed by the politics of hate. (I) was touched by the desire of people in Bisara to maintain harmony. This spirit will help the country go through tough times,” Rahul said in a series of tweets.
Earlier, after being denied permission to enter the village, Kejriwal was apparently angry, and questioned the logic behind the move.
He tweeted, “We r stopped by police n admn. Mahesh Sharma n Owaisi not stopped yest. Then y meIJ I am most peace loving. Want 2 jst meet Ikhlak’s family (sic).”
“I am being accused of doing politics. Yes, I am doing politics. But I am doing politics of unity and love. They are doing politics of hatred,” the Delhi Chief Minister tweeted earlier.
A day ago, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Mahesh Sharma and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi were permitted to meet the next of kin of the deceased.
The FIR was lodged against 10 people and more than 100 unidentified in the mob. Six of those named were arrested. Principal Secretary Home Uttar Pradesh Debasish Panda said in Agra that the accused involved in Dadri incident will be booked under the NSA (National Security Act).