FIR to be lodged against Akhlaq kin

In a decision that will be vehemently opposed by a large section of intelligentsia, a UP court has ordered a first information report or FIR against seven members of Akhlaq family for alleged cow slaughter. Akhlaq was lynched at Bisada in Dadri-Greater Noida in September last year on the charge that he was eating beef.

District Chief Judicial Magistrate Vijay Kumar of the Surajpur court, Greater Noida, on Thursday ordered the police to register an FIR and investigate the matter.

The order was in response to an application filed by Bisada residents in the court under Section 156(3) of CrPC to direct the police to lodge an FIR. “Judicial Magistrate Vijay Kumar, acting on application moved under 156(3) CrPC for registration of a case, has ordered investigation and lodging of an FIR of cow slaughter against Akhlaq’s family,” said D.S.R. Tripathi, Senior Prosecution Officer.

SSP Dharmendra Yadav reportedly said that a case will be registered against the family only if the charge that the meat found in Akhlaq’s home was beef was found to be true.

Rajeev Tyagi, lawyer of Surajpal Singh, the main complainant, said that he had named seven persons—Akhlaq, his wife Ikraman, mother Asghari, brother Jaan Mohammad, daughter Shaishta, son Danish in the complaint. Sona, wife of Jafaruddin, brother of Akhlaq, was also named in the complaint.