Brinda Karat Seeks President’s Intervention Against Move to Withdraw Dadri Lynching Case

New Delhi: Senior CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat has written to the President of India seeking urgent intervention to prevent attempts to derail the case related to the killing of Mohammad Akhlaq by Sangh Parivar activists in Dadri, Uttar Pradesh. She alleged that the Uttar Pradesh government is moving to completely withdraw the case, a decision she termed illegal, and that the state Governor has given written approval for the move.

Akhlaq’s son Danish, who was critically injured in the attack, has still not fully recovered. Despite key witnesses giving evidence and Akhlaq’s daughter identifying all the accused, the decision has been taken to close the case, Karat said, calling it a grave miscarriage of justice.

Following the Governor’s approval, the Uttar Pradesh government submitted an affidavit before the district court in Greater Noida. The court, which considered the matter on Friday, adjourned the case at the prosecution’s request. Karat said the deeply disturbing developments compelled her to write to the President.

She pointed out that Governors are appointed by the President and are accountable to the President, and therefore urged immediate presidential intervention in the matter.

Mohammad Akhlaq was lynched on September 28, 2015, after rumours were spread that he had stored beef at his home in Gautam Buddh Nagar district. The incident was the first cow-related lynching after Narendra Modi assumed office to draw national attention and became symbolic of a series of such attacks in northern India.