A court in Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar has acquitted two men in connected cases involving alleged cow slaughter and an attack on police personnel, citing serious doubts about the prosecution’s account.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Anurag Panwar acquitted Israr and Kamil on Thursday, observing that the allegations could have been fabricated and that the prosecution had failed to establish the charges beyond reasonable doubt, The Times of India reported.
The cases arose from an incident on November 22, 2014. According to the prosecution, sub-inspector Babu Lal and two other police personnel were on patrol when an informer told them that Israr and Kamil, residents of Sherpur village, were allegedly slaughtering a cow outside Israr’s house.
Police claimed they found a slaughtered cow with its skin removed, along with its horns and hooves. The two men were allegedly carrying knives. The prosecution further alleged that they attacked the police party with knives when officers tried to arrest them.
However, the court questioned the claim that the accused had attacked three policemen with knives when none of the officers or anyone else sustained even a minor injury. It said this raised serious doubts about the prosecution’s version of events.
Court questions lack of independent witnesses
The court also questioned why the prosecution had not produced any independent witnesses.
The incident allegedly took place around 8:10 am in a public area in the middle of the village, where between 50 and 100 people had reportedly gathered. The prosecution neither examined any of them nor explained why they were not made witnesses, the court observed.
It also pointed to gaps in the investigation, including the failure to properly prove the veterinary report and other material evidence.
The court said it was difficult to believe that the accused would continue slaughtering a cow for nearly two hours in front of a large crowd without anyone objecting or the accused attempting to flee.
Israr and Kamil, who were out on bail, were facing charges under Sections 307, 332 and 353 of the Indian Penal Code, Section 7 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act, and Sections 3, 5 and 8 of the Prevention of Cow Slaughter Act.
The court held that the prosecution had failed to prove the charges beyond reasonable doubt and acquitted both men in the connected cases.
