In his interrogation, Rana has told police that he also announced that a cow had been slaughtered after he felt that the priest was not convincing enough.
Vishal Rana, the BJP leader's son who was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh police on Saturday in connection with Mohamad Akhlaq's murder, had also made the announcement calling people to gather outside the victim's home.
Initially it was believed that the priest of the temple alone had made the announcement, but in his interrogation, Rana has told police that he also announced that a cow had been slaughtered after he felt that the priest was not convincing enough.
"It has emerged that the accused had made the announcement on the night of 28 September. He was accompanied by two other men when he did so, excluding the priest," said Gautam Budh Nagar senior superintendent of police (SSP) Kiran S. On Saturday, Vishal Rana and his cousin Shivam were arrested from a neighbouring village, taking the number of arrests made to eight. The role of one Vinay, a Homeguard constable, is also being investigated.
In the FIR, 10 persons have been named, including Vishal and Shivam. Another 4-5 persons involved in the gruesome murder are yet to be identified by the police. However questioning of those arrested might have helped police to narrow down their search.
dna has also learnt harrowing details which have emerged during the questioning of the arrested men. According to an investigator, the accused men had thrown a sewing machine on Akhlaq's younger son Danish, who was also attacked by the mob and is now at a Noida hospital battling for survival.
"The accused have claimed that they saw meat and body parts of a cow in a polythene bag, which they believed was thrown onto the street by Akhlaq. After making an announcement, they banged on the door and when Akhlaq's family did not respond, they broke it down. They confronted Akhlaq and asked him to confess that he had slaughtered a calf but when he didn't, some in the group took him to the first floor of the house and made him open the fridge," said an officer privy to the investigation.
The officer continued, "When they found the meat they started beating Akhlaq. His son came to rescue him, but was beaten up too. While Akhlaq was dragged outside, one of the accused picked up a sewing machine that was lying in the room and hit Danish on the head with it, multiple times".
Akhlaq's wife and daughter worked from home and used to machines to support the family. The sewing machines, as told to dna by the family, was bought by Akhlaq so that his wife and daughters could earn as well.
Meanwhile, Danish has now been operated on twice and had several fractures on his fingers and head.
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