A 19-year-old Class 12 student was shot and killed in Faridabad, Haryana, after being mistaken for a cattle smuggler. The accused pursued the victim’s car for 25 km before the fatal shooting. Five individuals have been arrested in connection with the incident.
The victim, Aryan, was targeted by a group led by Anil Kaushik, a local Hindutva leader known for his anti-Muslim actions. According to reports, Kaushik, who is associated with the Bajrang Dal, chased Aryan’s car and shot him in the head and shoulder near Gadpuri on August 23.
Aryan’s mother, Uma, expressed her grief and confusion, questioning the attackers’ motives. “Are Muslims not human, Are they not our brothers? Why would you kill a Muslim?” she asked in a statement to Journo Mirror. She further added, “They shot my son thinking he was a Muslim. Muslims protect us.”
Aryan’s father, Siyanand Mishra, revealed that Kaushik admitted to mistaking Aryan for a Muslim and now regrets his actions. “He (Anil Kaushik) said he thought my son was a Muslim. Now he regrets killing a Brahmin,” Mishra said after visiting Kaushik in jail.
Mishra also questioned why Kaushik felt it necessary to take the law into his own hands, suggesting that the situation could have been handled differently, such as by contacting the police or aiming for the car’s wheel.
The incident occurred while Aryan was out with friends Harshit and Shanky for a late-night snack. Despite being rushed to the hospital, Aryan succumbed to his injuries the following day.
The accused, including Anil Kaushik, Varun Kumar, Krishan Kumar, Adesh Singh, and Saurav Kumar, have been taken into custody.
