Cow vigilantes who killed Muslim men in Haryana were police informers, reveals FIRs

Delhi (India), February 21, 2023: Recent reports suggest that three of the five cow vigilantes who were allegedly involved in the murder of two Muslim men in Haryana were previously working as police informers.

The accused men, Anil, Srikant, Rinku Saini, Lokesh Singhla, and Mohit Yadav alias Monu Manesar, are being investigated for the brutal murder of Nasir and Junaid, who were found dead in a Mahindra Bolero SUV in Haryana’s Bhiwani district.

According to four first information reports (FIRs) related to previous cow smuggling cases, Rinku Saini, Lokesh Singhla, and Srikant used to accompany Haryana Police teams during raids on cattle smugglers. In fact, the police had declared them “informers” in these cases.

The investigation is trying to determine if cow vigilantism was the motive behind the murders. Junaid was facing five cases of cow smuggling, whereas Nasir had no criminal record.

As per police sources, the two Muslim men from Rajasthan were first taken to the police station alive after being attacked by four men on suspicion of cow smuggling. Rinku Saini, a taxi driver and member of the cow vigilante group, told investigators that they took the two half-dead men to Firozpur Jhirka police station, hoping that the police would arrest Junaid and Nasir. However, the policemen at the station refused to take them in due to their critical condition.

Later, Junaid and Nasir died from their injuries, and the cow vigilantes, fearing legal consequences, discussed how to dispose of the bodies. They ultimately decided to take the Bolero SUV and the bodies to Bhiwani, where they doused them in gasoline and set them afire.