Ghulam Mohammad, a distant relative of the real target, was beaten to death in Bulandshahr
A 62-year-old man was beaten to death in Uttar Pradesh's Bulandshahr yesterday by a group of 10 men allegedly looking for his young neighbour, who had eloped with a girl from a different community a few days ago.
Ghulam Mohammad's family has accused the Hindu Yuva Vahini, the right-wing group set up years ago by Yogi Adityanath, who took over as Chief Minister at the head of a new BJP government on March 19.
The FIR or First Information Report of the police refers to "five to six unknown suspects from Hindu Yuva Vahini" as suspects.
Ghulam Mohammad was the neighbour of the group's target - a 19-year-old man who ran away with an 18-year-old girl from the neighbourhood and is accused of kidnapping by her family. "He was from the same neighbourhood that's all. We're all Muslims here, just neighbours and nothing else," said a member of his family.
The group allegedly arrived when the girl's family complained that the police hadn't taken action. Around 9:30 am on Tuesday, the attackers spotted Ghulam Mohammad sitting in a mango orchard, dragged him to a deserted spot and allegedly lynched him.
"Four or five men came in the morning and forcibly took him away from the garden. They took him to the jungle and hit him and left," said his son. Three persons including 20-year-old Honey Raghav have been arrested. An active member of the Hindu Yuva Vahini, his family said he also headed the group's unit in the district's Pahasu town.
"In the complaint, we have written that the members are of the Hindu Yuva vahini. Right now we are verifying," senior police officer Muniraj G told NDTV.
"If we find role of any organisation, we will inform government, take legal advice and then take right action," he said.
The police say they have no proof so far of the group's involvement.