Relatives mourn the death of farmer Mohammad Akhlaq at his home in Bisara village. (Press Trust of India)
Union Minister Mahesh Sharma today described the lynching of a 50-year-old man in Dadri by a mob, allegedly over consumption of beef, as an "accident" and said that no "communal colour" should be given to it, even as the family of the victim is planning to move out of the village fearing that it may happen again.
"This (incident) should be considered as an accident without giving any communal colour to it," Mr Sharma, Minister of State for Tourism and BJP lawmaker from Noida, said.
"Two other families live with the affected family in the middle of the village and their walls adjoin with others. About 10-12 houses of other community are in the outlying part of the village but no incident concerning them has happened," he said.
"I feel this incident occurred due to some misunderstanding and the law should truthfully act against whoever is responsible for it," he said.
Iqlakh was beaten to death and his 22-year-old son Danish son was critically injured by a mob which barged into their house following rumours that the family had consumed beef, on Monday night.
Iqlakh's other son, Sartaj, who serves in the Indian Army, demanded punishment for the murderers of his father.
"Those arrested murdered my father. I want to know the reason for which they did this to him. They should be punished so that none from the village would dare to such deed in future," he said.