Murder: In a significant development, a local court in Alwar has delivered its verdict on the case of Rakbar Khan’s lynching, stating that the four convicts were guilty of culpable homicide and not murder. The court emphasised that there was no intention to kill the victim, as the accused had promptly informed the police after intercepting Khan while he was transporting cows. The judgment, spanning 92 pages and written in Hindi, further highlighted the acquittal of one accused due to insufficient evidence and criticised the police for the delay in providing medical assistance to Khan, giving priority to the transportation of the cows.
The brutal incident took place on July 21, 2018, when Rakbar Khan, aged 28, and a friend were transporting two cows in Alwar. They were attacked by a self-proclaimed cow protection gang, resulting in Khan being severely assaulted. While his friend managed to escape, Khan was caught, beaten, and later handed over to the local police.
Court Verdict in Rakbar Khan Lynching Case: Convicts Found Guilty of Culpable Homicide, Controversy Surrounds Acquittal of Alleged Mob Leader
The four convicted individuals – Dharmendra Yadav, Paramjeet Sardar, Vijay Kumar, and Naresh Kumar – had been out on bail but were taken into custody following the verdict. They were found guilty under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code related to wrongful restraint and culpable homicide, while being acquitted of charges of criminal conspiracy and murder. Additionally, the fifth accused, Nawal Kishore Sharma, a member of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) who was identified by Khan’s family as the main suspect, was acquitted due to insufficient evidence.
In his publicly released judgment, Special Judge Sunil Kumar Goyal expressed doubts about whether the four men assaulted Khan with the intention to cause his murder, given that they had informed the police about the alleged cow smuggling through Nawal Kishore. The court also questioned Kishore’s inclusion in the charge sheet based on his phone contact with the convicts, considering that Khan had not mentioned him as one of the assailants to the police.
The court stated that Kishore had been informed about the incident by the other accused, after which he promptly informed the police and accompanied them to the crime scene. He then waited until the cows were taken to a shelter and Khan was transported to a hospital. The court emphasized that Kishore’s communication with the other accused did not establish his involvement in the assault on Rakbar.
The judge further asserted that there was irrefutable evidence proving that the four convicts had assaulted the deceased, inflicting severe beatings with sticks, rods, kicks, and punches. These attacks resulted in six broken ribs, fractures in his hands and legs, and a total of 13 injuries, ultimately leading to Khan’s death or he murder.
Verdict in Rakbar Khan Lynching Case: Culpable Homicide, Police Delay, and Acquittal Raise Controversy
The court also criticised the role of the Rajasthan Police, highlighting that the personnel at Ramgarh police station prioritised the transportation of the cows to a shelter rather than immediately transferring the critically injured Khan to a hospital after the murder. According to the verdict, despite the police arriving at the scene at 1:30 am and bringing Rakbar to the Ramgarh police station by 2:45 am, Assistant Sub-Inspector Mohan Singh, disregarding Khan’s critical condition, chose to prioritize the cows’ transportation instead of ensuring prompt medical assistance.
The tragic death of Rakbar Khan serves as a stark reminder of the persistent problem of vigilantism in certain parts of the country, particularly linked to cow protection groups. While addressing smuggling concerns is important, resorting to violent actions by private groups undermines the rule of law and demands stern measures to crack down on vigilante groups, thereby restoring faith in law and order for the murder.
‘s verdict, Khan’s family has announced their intention to challenge it in the high court. Harun Khan, the victim’s brother, asserted that the incident constituted murder, highlighting their disagreement with the application of Section 304 of the Indian Penal Code, which deals with culpable homicide not amounting to murder, and called for a more stringent sentence. Harun Khan also expressed disappointment with the acquittal of the alleged mob leader, Nawal Kishore.
Alwar Court Verdict: Rakbar Khan Lynching Case – Convicts Found Guilty of Culpable Homicide, VHP Member Acquitted
In a significant development, a local court in Alwar has delivered its verdict on the murder case of Rakbar Khan’s lynching, stating that the four convicts were guilty of culpable homicide and not murder. The court clarified that the accused did not have the intention to kill the victim, as they promptly informed the police after intercepting Khan while he was transporting cows. The judgment, spanning 92 pages and written in Hindi, further highlighted the acquittal of one accused due to insufficient evidence and criticized the police for their delay in providing medical assistance to Khan, giving priority to the transportation of the cows.
The brutal incident took place on July 21, 2018, when Rakbar Khan, aged 28, and a friend were transporting two cows in Alwar. They were ambushed by a self-proclaimed cow protection gang, resulting in Khan being subjected to severe assault. While his friend managed to escape, Khan was apprehended, beaten mercilessly, and later handed over to the local police.