Dadri(UP): Six persons have been arrested in connection with the lynching of a man over suspected beef consumption at Bishada village near Dadri and a manhunt launched to arrest the rest named accused in the case, a senior police officer said on Friday.
“Six persons have been arrested and a manhunt has been launched to arrest the rest named accused. More accused were being identified through news channels clippings,” senior superintendent of police (SSP) Gautam Buddh Nagar Kiran S. said.
Police on Friday also booked one person for posting objectionable material on the Bishada incident. The person who has been booked has been identified as Anuj Kumar.
The district magistrate has issued a warning and said action would be taken against people spreading rumours in the social media about the incident.
Under fire from rival parties for terming the Dadri lynching incident as “accident”, Union minister Mahesh Sharma rejected calls for his removal, describing them as politically motivated and said only the Prime Minister could ask for his resignation.
“Those calling for my resignation are indulging in politics. An accident had occurred, I repeat. A question is being asked repeatedly that whether it was an accident (hadsa) or a thought-out conspiracy. I want to tell all who want to spread communalism or do politics that people have been living in that village amicably for 70 years,” he said.
“Law should take its course and there should be fair investigation. I condemn any attempt to give political or communal colour to this incident. Such people are neither well wishers of the society nor of the country,” Mr Sharma said.
The BJP on Friday hit out at UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav after he dared the Centre to ban beef export, calling his comments “unfortunate” and accused him of “dividing” people on religious lines to cover up his “failure” in ensuring law and order in the state.
In a series of tweets, Union commerce minister Nirmala Sitharaman said Yadav should know that “the export of beef (meat of cow, oxen and calf) is prohibited” as per Meat Export Policy of the Government of India. Ms Sitharaman said the bone in meat, carcass of buffalo (both male and female) is also prohibited from exports.
