A case has been filed against former Haryana minister and Congress leader Nirmal Singh in Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur. Singh is accused of shooting 3 cows at a farmhouse which had led to the death of one of them. The complaint was filed against Singh at Behat Kotwali police station in the town for shooting cows. The incident pertains to three days ago, after which several Hindu organisations hit the streets protesting against the Congress leader.
As per a news report published in ‘Dainik Jagran’, the incident occurred on Thursday evening last week, i.e November 11, 2020. The police were immediately informed about the incident but they visited the spot the next morning. The police officials claimed that the incident belonged to Haryana, and therefore a case cannot be filed in Uttar Pradesh.
However, enraged by the Congress leader’s vile action of slaughtering cows, who are considered as a holy animal by Hindus, several Hindu organisations staged a demonstration and conveyed their vigorous opposition to the incident to UP CM Yogi Adityanath.
On Saturday, Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad activists reached Kotwali with the victim and demanded to register a case of cow slaughter against the Congress leader. However, they were sent back by the police officials after they alleged that the incident pertained to Haryana. However, the activists and demonstrators ploughed on with their demonstration, using the help of social media websites to mobilise support and apply pressure on the police to act in the case.
Though a case has been registered in Uttar Pradesh, there is a lack of clarity among the demonstrators whether the proceedings will be initiated in Uttar Pradesh itself or will the case be transferred to Haryana. In the complaint lodged by the victim side, Singh owns a farmhouse located on the Haryana-UP border. It has been alleged that on the day of the incident, 3 cows accidentally strayed into Singh’s farmhouse to drink water. Singh was present at the time. The victim claims that Singh had shot bullets at the cows, killing one of them. 2 of them are still missing.
Nirmal Singh’s farmhouse is prone to disputes
As per Journalist Sachin Gupta, the aforementioned farmhouse of former minister Nirmal Singh is prone to disputes. Two years ago, a case of an innocent girl being murdered and raped at the farmhouse had come to the fore. Three years ago, an FIR was filed against 11 including the former minister in the Yamuna sand mining dispute. Overall, there have been several allegations of the farmhouse being a hub of illegal activities. In some reports, it is also being said that the condition of two cows is serious and they are also shot at allegedly by Singh.
पूर्व मंत्री निर्मल सिंह का यह फार्म हाउस विवादित है। दो साल पहले मासूम बच्ची की रेप के बाद हत्या कर दी गई थी। तीन साल पहले यमुना नदी से रेत खनन के विवाद में पूर्व मंत्री समेत 11 पर एफआईआर हुई थी। कुल मिलाकर यहां अवैध गतिविधियां होती रहती हैं। #Saharanpur #Up
— Sachin Gupta | सचिन गुप्ता (@sachingupta787) November 15, 2020
It is pertinent to note here that earlier cow slaughter accused were able to secure bail because of the provision of 7 years of imprisonment. This provision was altered to rigorous imprisonment of 10 years in June 2020 following a spate of unabated cow slaughter incidents. After the amendment, the accuse will not be able to secure bail. Also, the amended law has increased the fine to Rs 5 lakh from earlier Rs 3 lakh. Besides, Uttar Pradesh has even more stringent laws for cow slaughter and cattle smuggling and whoever is found indulging in the two are publicly discredited with their photos posted on the streets and at public places.
