By Raqib Hameed Naik, TwoCircles.net
Mewat: Two months after dairy farmer Pehlu Khan’s was lynched by self-styled cow vigilantes in Behror area of Alwar, Rajasthan, his family back in Haryana is yet to come out of the shock and tragedy that struck them.
A resident of Jaisinghpur, 15 km from Nuh town in Mewat, Haryana, deceased Khan was father of eight children and the lone breadwinner of a family of 14 people which included his grand kids. Khan’s son Arshad Khan, 23, who was also beaten by the cow vigilantes, is too horrified to go back to continue his father’s business.
“The killing of my father was a brutal act. He was killed like an animal. After that day I live in fear and I won’t ever buy cattle’s again,” Arshad told TwoCircles.net
“Bhooke mar jaun ga magar ye vayapar kabhi nahi karunga (I will starve and die, but won’t ever do this trade again),”he said. Khan, who is yet to come out of the shock of his father’s death said he would instead work as a daily wage laborer to feed his family of fourteen.
“He was the sole earner for our family. After he died there is no income coming in. Everything has gone with him. Some people have helped us but that isn’t sufficient enough and won’t last long,” he added.
Importantly, after the lynching of Pehlu Khan, the issue had grabbed national headlines, besides various political parties had extended support to the Khan family, but the reality stands that nothing has changed for them.
Post lynching, various protest demonstration and candle lights vigils were held at different universities in the capital.
The lynching incident occurred on Saturday, April 1, when a group of self-styled cow vigilantes attacked dairy farmer Pehlu Khan in Behror area of Alwar.
Khan, hailing from Haryana, died on Monday night, April 3 in hospital.
He was travelling in a truck with two cows and two calves, when the attackers accused him of illegally smuggling cows for slaughter. However, the evidence has pointed that he wasn’t carrying cows for slaughter and instead for dairy purposes.
Those who wish to help Pehlu Khan’s family may contact Arshad Khan at: +91-9050561674
Account details
Name: Arshad
Bank: State Bank of India
Account number: 33930814644
Branch code: 2497
IFSC: SBIN0002497