Parliament should enact law to prevent mob lynching, hate crimes: Farmers' body

New Delhi: The All India Kisan Sabha on Monday demanded Parliament to enact a law to prevent mob lynching and hate crimes, as they protested violence perpetrated against three cattle transporters by a mob in Chhattisgarh.

In a statement issued here on Monday, the AIKS strongly protested the "murder" of two cattle transport workers and severe injuries to another worker on June 7, 2024 on the Mahanadi Bridge in the Mahasamund-Raipur border of Chhattisgarh.

Calling those involved "criminal gangsters", the AIKS said a group of 15-20 people had been following the truck load of animals travelling towards Odisha. They said the group put nails on the bridge to deflate the tyres and after stopping the truck, the drivers were beaten severely and thrown on the rocks 30 feet below the bridge.

"Tehseen Qureshi died on the spot and Chand Khan was declared dead after reaching the hospital. Another worker Saddam Qureshi suffered severe injuries and is in hospital. It is very clear that this is an incident of premeditated murder and a hate crime, and not a mob lynching," the AIKS said.

It said the state police has registered an FIR under sections 304 and 307 of IPC for attempt to murder and culpable homicide that attracts punishment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with a fine, or with both.

"The police have not included Section 302 of IPC for murder. They justify this serious omission as suspected mob lynching in the name of cow protection," it said.

"The AIKS strongly demands the NDA-led Union Government and the newly elected Parliament to enact a law to prevent mob lynching and hate crimes in the name of cow protection, to establish fast track courts to expedite trial and conviction in order to protect the interests of the cattle farmers, traders and workers in the industry," it said.

The AIKS also demanded a judicial enquiry into the incident, including the role of the police in protecting the criminals and compensation of Rs 50 lakh each to the family of both deceased workers and Rs 20 lakh to the severely injured worker.

According to the police, two cattle transporters died and another sustained serious injuries under suspicious circumstances after being allegedly chased by a mob on Friday.

The incident took place in the early hours under Arang police station area on Raipur-Mahasamund interdistrict border.