Five arrested; the weapon used in the attack was illegal, and the suspects initially tried to mislead investigators about its whereabouts
Team Clarion
NEW DELHI – In a case of mistaken identity, cow vigilantes shot and killed a Hindu teenager in Haryana’s Faridabad city. In the incident that occurred on August 23 but came to light only on Monday, the vigilantes killed Aryan Mishra, a 19-year-old Grade XII student, after giving his SUV a chase. The group mistook Aryan and his friends for cattle smugglers, leading to a fatal encounter that has shocked the community.
According to reports, Aryan and his friends, Harshit and Shanky, were out for a late-night meal. Unbeknownst to them, a group of vigilantes, notorious for targeting suspected cattle smugglers, began pursuing their SUV, believing it was being used for illegal cattle transport. The chase spanned approximately 25 kilometres.
Fearful of being attacked by a rival gang due to a prior conflict, Aryan and his friends did not stop the vehicle when the vigilantes signalled them to pull over. The situation escalated quickly when the pursuers opened fire, striking Aryan in the neck. Despite the injury, the car kept on moving until it eventually came to a stop. The vigilantes shot Aryan again, believing he might retaliate.
It was only after noticing the presence of two women in the car that the vigilantes realised they had targeted the wrong group. Panicked, they fled the scene. Aryan was rushed to the hospital where succumbed to his injuries the next day.
The police have arrested five individuals in connection with the shooting: Anil Kaushik, Varun, Krishna, Adesh, and Saurav. The investigation revealed that the vigilantes had mistakenly believed Aryan and his friends were calling accomplices to pick up cattle from remote locations.
The Duster SUV was chased through a toll plaza before the fatal shooting occurred. The weapon used in the attack was illegal, and the suspects initially tried to mislead investigators about its whereabouts. However, it was later recovered from Anil’s home.
The tragic incident has highlighted the dangers of vigilantism and the urgent need for accountability and justice for Aryan and his grieving family. The investigation is ongoing as authorities are determined to bring those responsible to justice.
