UP Cops Say Sorry After Photo of Hapur Lynching Victim Being Dragged Goes Viral

New Delhi: Days after a cattle trader was beaten to death, allegedly by a mob in Hapur, the Uttar Pradesh Police have issued an apology for a photograph that showed the 45-year-old being dragged by locals in the presence of cops.

The men seen in the photograph — Pilakhuwa station incharge and two constables — were transferred to the police lines, even as two accused were arrested for the crime.

“We apologise for the insensitive manner in which the victim was handled by our policemen… This picture seems to have been taken when the police had reached the spot to shift the injured to a police vehicle and because of non availability of an ambulance at that moment, the victim was unfortunately carried this way…

“The humane concerns got ignored in the urgency of saving a life and maintaining law and order," said a statement by UP DGP headquarters which was also uploaded on Twitter.

Two men — 45-year-old Qasim and Samayuddin, 65 — were assaulted by a mob on Wednesday, about 70 kilometres from Delhi. According to reports, the duo was warding off a buffalo and a calf that had wandered into Qasim’s field. However, the local residents mistook them for cow thieves and brutally assaulted them. While Qasim succumbed to injuries, Samiuddin is still battling for life at a hospital as his condition was stated to be critical.

A video of the incident had also surfaced in which a severely injured Qasim was seen asking for water from the mob surrounding him before he finally drops unconscious to the ground. However, the police have not acknowledged the video evidence, and termed the matter an “incident of road rage".

“The family of the deceased has given us a written complaint stating that the fight and consequent thrashing started after a motorcycle accidentally hit Qasim and his friend. While one person was killed, another one has sustained injuries. An FIR has been registered against 25 unknown people under IPC’s sections 307 (attempt to murder) and 302 (murder), while two men have been identified and arrested," said Hapur Superintendent of Police Sankalp Sharma.