Police begin probe into complaint against Akhlaq family

Police today began probe into the complaint against the family of Dadri lynch victim, a day after a 20-day ultimatum was given to the administration for registering a case against them for alleged cow slaughter and beef consumption. The situation in Bishada village in Dadri was described by authorities as under control after tension returned yesterday nearly nine months after 50-year-old Mohammad Akhlaq was lynched following rumours that his family stored and ate beef at their house. Rival parties also traded charges as the village became a political battleground ahead of next year's Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh. Circle Officer, Dadri, started the investigations into the complaint of the family of one of the accused and villagers about alleged cow slaughter by Ikhlaq s family, as he spoke to local residents and scanned previous probe documents. Situation in Bishada is normal. No untoward incident was reported," SDM Dadri RK Singh said, adding, "additional forces are keeping watch over the movement of persons. Today there was no political movement in the village." Singh said villagers have decided to follow the legal battle in court and have promised that they will not resort to violence. The ultimatum for registering an FIR given at a meeting of villagers at Shiv temple in Bishada last night came six days after a report from a forensic lab in Mathura said that the meat sample taken from outside Akhlaq s house belonged to a "cow or its progeny". Some members of BJP and Shiv Sena also attended the meeting. After the report surfaced, a section of Bishada residents had also approached police, urging them to register an FIR against Akhlaq s family for allegedly killing a cow and consuming beef. "Villagers gave 20 days to the administration to investigate and lodge the FIR against the Ikhlaq family members. However we are moving the court on Wednesday under section 156(3) requesting court to issue directions to police to lodge FIR against the Ikhlaq s family as forensic report has confirmed it was beef," said Sanjay Rana, father of one of the accused Vishal Rana. BJP President Amit Shah rejected allegations by rival parties that the party was raking up the Dadri issue to communalise the upcoming elections. "If it is so they should expose it. Whose government is here, who controls lab and police. How can you blame BJP," he told reporters in Lucknow. "We did not organise any panchayat in Dadri. BJP has nothing to do with it. If some persons sit together and hold a panchayat peacefully what is objectionable in that," he added. BSP leader Satbir Singh alleged that BJP and SP are hand in glove and have secret understanding. "Both are following appeasement policy. SP is trying to appease Muslims while BJP is trying to garner support of Hindus. They both want the communal tension till elections with hope of cashing it during assembly elections," he said. Samajwadi Party leader Pratap Chauhan denied the allegations of BSP and said, the situation in Bishada deteriorated due to BJP hate speeches... BJP is communalising the issue." BJP leader Sanjay Aggarwal said, "Bishada situation got deteriorated due to improper handling and one-sided action of the state government."