Alwar cow vigilantism: Rajasthan Home Minister says victims didn't have transit permit

Rajasthan Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria today said that those people intercepted by cow vigilantes in Alwar, where a Muslim man was lynched, did not carry transit permit.

"The report we have received from police reveals that the transporters did not have requisite transit permit," he told PTI. Sixteen people were allegedly illegally transporting 36 animals in six pick-up vans. They were on their way to Haryana from Jaipur when the vigilantes stopped two of the vehicles in Behror on the Jaipur-Delhi National Highway and thrashed five persons on Saturday.

They were admitted to a nearby hospital where 55-year-old Pehlu Khan died on Monday night. Denying claims of Pehlu Khan's kin that he had valid purchase documents but was falsely accused of smuggling cows, Kataria said permission from sub-divisional officer is required to transport bovines. So far, four persons have been arrested in the case.

The Alwar SP has transferred the investigation into the case to Circle Officer Behror Parmal Singh. SHO of Behror police station, Ramesh Chand was earlier probing it. The National Human Rights Commission has issued notices to the Centre and the Rajasthan government over the incident.