Alwar killing: 1 detained; minister says not enough manpower

Jaipur: Police have detained one person in connection with the killing of 35-year-old Umar Khan by cow vigilantes in Rajasthan’s Alwar district. Reacting to the incident, Rajasthan Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria said on Sunday that the state did not have enough manpower everywhere to “control” every situation well in time.

Umar Khan’s body was found near railway tracks in Ramgarh on November 11, with his family members and activists claiming that he was shot dead by cow vigilantes when he was ferrying cattle in a vehicle the day before. The incident, which came months after the lynching of dairy farmer Pehlu Khan by suspected cow vigilantes in Alwar, has triggered an outrage.

“The incident took place at night and the police are acting on the case. One person has been detained,” Kataria said and expressed hope that the case would be cracked soon. He said strict action would be taken against the culprits irrespective of their religion.

“We don’t have so much manpower to enable us to control every situation at all places, even before an incident is reported (hamare pass itni manpower nahin hai, ki har jagah, har sthiti ko samay se pehle control kar saken),” he said.

Deputy Superintendent of Police, Alwar (South), Anil Beniwal said the detained person was being interrogated. An FIR has been registered at Govindgarh police station under IPC Sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder) and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence) against unidentified people, based on a complaint lodged by Umar Khan’s family members.

Umar Khan’s family members have demanded immediate arrest of the accused and compensation.