A harrowing incident in Haryana’s Faridabad has sent shockwaves across India, with the emergence of a CCTV video capturing a car chase between cow vigilantes and a group of friends, tragically culminating in the death of a Class 12 student.
The victim, Aryan Mishra, was mistakenly identified as a cattle smuggler by the vigilantes. The CCTV footage, obtained by NDTV, shows Aryan and his friends, Shanky and Harshit, in a red-colored SUV speeding through the Gadpuri toll plaza on the Agra-Delhi highway on August 24th, at around 3 am. Close behind them, five individuals, later identified as the accused vigilantes – Saurabh, Anil Kaushik, Varun, Krishna, and Adesh – followed in a white hatchback.
The video then reveals a chilling scene: the vigilantes open fire on the SUV, leading to Aryan’s fatal injury. All five accused have since been apprehended by the police.
According to police statements, the vigilantes claimed to have received information about suspected cattle smugglers driving two SUVs in the city. Mistaking Aryan and his friends for the smugglers, they pursued the group for approximately 30 kilometers near the Gadhpuri toll on the Delhi-Agra National Highway.
The vigilantes allegedly attempted to stop Aryan’s car, but when the driver accelerated, they resorted to firing upon the vehicle, resulting in Aryan’s death on the spot.
Aryan’s grief-stricken father, Siyanand Mishra, has raised poignant questions about the vigilantes’ actions and the lack of accountability. He expressed his bewilderment, questioning who gave the vigilantes the authority to shoot someone based solely on suspicion of cow smuggling. Furthermore, he directed his concerns towards the central government, demanding an explanation for the apparent legitimacy given to such vigilante actions.
The tragic incident has reignited the debate surrounding cow vigilantism in India. It highlights the dangers of unchecked vigilante justice and the need for stricter measures to prevent such incidents from recurring. This case underscores the importance of upholding the rule of law and ensuring that justice is served through the proper channels, not through the actions of self-appointed enforcers.