Bhiwani murder: "Won't sit idle if cow protector arrested without evidence," says Haryana VHP chief

Gurugram (Haryana) [India], February 17 : Amid the row over the Bhiwani case where charred skeletons were found inside a burnt car, Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), Haryana president Pawan Kumar on Friday said that the organisation will not sit idle if a cow protector is arrested without any evidence.
"We have sympathy for the deceased. But it is wrong to accuse and arrest a person without evidence in the name of communal hatred. There should be a CBI inquiry into this matter. Action should be taken against whoever is guilty," Kumar said.
He said Rajasthan Police has done a "childish investigation". He alleged that the police can force anyone to make any statement using third-degree.
He said VHP's stand is clear, until the CBI investigation is done, the organisation will oppose if any cow protector is arrested. It is the responsibility of the government to ensure that when two states are involved, an independent agency should investigate the case.
"If the Rajasthan government arrests a cow protector without any evidence for political gains, then we will not sit idle. There will be panchayats in Haryana and Rajasthan. The forensic team of CBI should investigate this matter. Both the deceased had a background of cow smuggling. The deceased may have some other enmity. It would be childish if the police arrests the innocent without evidence," the VHP leader said.
Asked about AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi's remarks on the matter, Kumar said Owaisi is trying to earn a political dividend over the issue. He said rhetoric is being done in this matter to take political advantage.
"Asaduddin Owaisi is a political person and doing politics on the matter," added the VHP leader.
Owaisi alleged that the accused in the Bhiwani incident is patronised by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Haryana.
"I condemn in the strongest words the killing of Junaid and Nasir by an organised gang in Haryana. One Monu named in the incident is patronised by the BJP government in Haryana. They are responsible for this incident. Will Prime Minister and Home Minister speak on this incident?" Owaisi said.
"This is an inhuman killing of Junaid and Nasir by a so-called 'Gau-Rakshak' gang. These people are supported by BJP and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). These elements radicalised by BJP will turn against them tomorrow. Centre and BJP government in Haryana should not protect and patronise such elements," the AIMIM MP added.
Meanwhile, Monu Manesar, a member of Bajrang Dal, who is alleged as the main accused in the case dismissed allegations of his involvement and said there has been an attempt to defame his organisation.
"My team and I have nothing to do with this incident. Police must probe to find the real culprits. Our organization should not be defamed by dragging it into this. Whatever claims are being spread on social media are absolutely wrong," Monu said.
Monu said at the time of the incident he was in Gurugram and further validating his claims he added that he has the CCTV footage of the hotel where he was staying.
"When this incident took place, I was at a hotel in Gurugram and we have the footage of it. I did not know the two victims and I do not know what happened to them. We are also looking into this incident from our side to find out about the culprits," he said.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday condemned the incident where charred skeletons of two Bharatpur residents were found in a car in Haryana. Gehlot assured strict action against the perpetrators.
He added that one accused has been taken into custody and the search is on for the remaining accused.
"The killing of two people, residents of Bharatpur's Ghatmika, in Haryana is condemnable. Rajasthan and Haryana Police are taking action in coordination. Rajasthan Police has been directed to take strict action," said Gehlot in a tweet (roughly translated from Hindi).
Rajasthan Police on Friday said special teams had been formed to arrest suspects based on an FIR filed by a family in Rajasthan alleging that the deceased had been kidnapped from the state's Bharatpur district.
"A missing report of two men was filed in Gopalgarh Police Station in Bharatpur on Wednesday. The mobile phones of the two men were found switched off and when we started our search for them we were told that they were in a car and had been kidnapped and violently assaulted," Gaurav Srivastava, Inspector General, Bharatpur Range, Rajasthan said.
Srivastava said that the SUV with the same engine and chasis number was found in a burnt condition in Loharu in Haryana's Bhiwani district and there were two charred bodies found inside.
"Special teams formed to nab those named in FIR filed by the family who is claiming the victims are Junaid and Nasir who were kidnapped. Junaid has five cases pertaining to cow smuggling against him," IG, Bharatpur Range said.
On Thursday morning Haryana Police recovered two charred skeletons inside an SUV car near Barawas village in Haryana's Bhiwani district. The car had also been set on fire.