On 3rd September Haryana Police informed that Aryan Mishra who was shot dead on 23rd August by five people was the result of mistaken identity. The police stated that no evidence has surfaced to support the notion that the accused persons were members of any cow protection group, but they are still investigating the accused’s background. Siyanand Mishra, the victim’s father stated that he was informed that his son had been shot. However, it was later alleged that gau rakshaks (cow protectors) had killed him.
He added, “I met Anil Kaushik (one of the accused) and enquired as to how he was hit in the chest when he already had a bullet in his neck. I am not getting any answer for this.” He also clarified that Shanky who is the elder son of the landlord and was in the car on the night of the incident is already booked under section 307 for firing a bullet during a fight. “Bullets were unleashed for 30 kilometres and he was struck at Palwal. Is it legal for them to shoot someone if they suspect them of smuggling cattle? Has this right been granted by the government? Was this granted by the Modi government? If so, why,” the aggrieved father questioned.
He also explained that the perpetrators and his son didn’t know each other. “I don’t know who killed my son. Only the landlords who brought him along can answer this. Shanky, his younger brother Harshit, their mother and another woman named Keerti Sharma were in the car at the time.” He pointed out that Anil Kaushik had confessed that he shot at Aryan Mishra by mistake. “I want to know how he was shot twice. I would like to know why my son’s companions in the car were not shot,” he further asked and highlighted that the police had arrested all the culprits. He also mentioned that he was satisfied with the police inquiry.
#WATCH | Faridabad, Haryana: A student of class 12th shot dead on suspicion of cow smuggling.
— ANI (@ANI) September 3, 2024
His father, Siyanand Mishra says, "My son named Aryan Mishra was a student of Class 12. I was not aware of anything…Later, I got to know my son was shot on suspicion of cow… pic.twitter.com/ALFp4m75BR
Siyanand Mishra who is the complainant in the case claimed in the First Information Report that his son was shot and killed by gang members who were rivals of his son’s friends. He reported that Harshit’s father notified him of the occurrence at about three in the morning. He told him that there was an emergency and requested that he come to Palwal.
“On the evening of August 24, a young man named Aryan Mishra was fatally shot by gunfire. Five days after the murder, the Faridabad police made an arrest and filed a formal complaint. Anil, Krishna, Varun, Adesh, and Saurabh are their names. The car that was involved in the instance has been found. All the accused are from Faridabad,” conveyed Aman Yadav, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Crime, Faridabad. He also verified that the two sides didn’t even know each other, according to the probe. There is no conspiracy or personal animosity behind the murder.
#WATCH | Faridabad, Haryana: A student of class 12th shot dead on suspicion of cow smuggling.
— ANI (@ANI) September 3, 2024
ACP Crime, Faridabad, Aman Yadav says," All accused – Anil, Krishna, Varun, Adesh and Saurav- have been sent to judicial custody. Initial probe has revealed that due to a… pic.twitter.com/4CIrzLxZ8n
He added that the matter is under investigation. “Thus far, the inquiry has shown that there was a misunderstanding that led to the occurrence. The assailants believed that these were criminals on their way to carry out a crime. That’s why they started shooting. An investigation is being conducted on the matter. Verification of the accused’s assertions is ongoing.” He assured that anyone who would take the law into his own hands without authority or violate any rights would be penalised.
“Police are investigating their background to establish whether they were cow protectors. We are investigating if the rumours that the five accused were part of any such group are true or not,” the top cop mentioned. He also noted that the authorities have no information on the claims that the accused learned about cow smugglers in Duster and Fortuner cars and hence targeted the former in which Aryan Mishra was seated.
The murder weapon has been found and was discovered to be illegal. Its source has also been identified and he will be apprehended soon. “The weapon was used to fire four shots and two of them were directed towards the deceased. It will be sent to a forensic laboratory for inspection,” the ACP disclosed. All the fires were shot by Anil Kaushik. CCTV cameras were also checked during the probe and the footage has been collected along with conducting interrogation. The vehicle used in the shooting has also been seized.
Police reiterated that there were a total of five people in the car in which Aryan Mishra was shot, one of them was Sagar alias Shanky. The authorities added that a case of attempted murder is already registered against him. He believed that members of their rival organization were after them as the five accused followed the car which explained the reason behind the attempt to escape, per police. This increased the suspicion of those who were pursuing them and they ended up committing the crime.
According to media reports, Siyanand Mishra unveiled that Anil Kaushik had admitted to pursuing and shooting Aryan Mishra and his friends since he believed they were cow smugglers. This admission was given in his presence following the man’s arrest and incarceration by the police on 30th August. Although Anil Kauhsik’s mother Rajesh Devi denied that he had fired at them, she did admit that her son was a gau rakshak who chased the victim and his pals because he suspected they were cattle smugglers.
Aryan Mishra (19), a student in Class 12, had left his house early on 23rd August with his landlords and friends. The accused attempted to stop them but the youth and his companions increased the speed of their Duster. After pursuing them for around 30 kilometres, the former caught up to them close to a Palwal toll plaza and opened fire. Aryan Mishra was hit by a bullet to the head and shoulder. He was pronounced brought dead at the hospital. Anil, Krishan, Varun, Adesh, and Saurabh were arrested and sent to judicial custody after the case was taken over by the Faridabad Crime Branch.
