The youth who was allegedly thrashed by a mob in Sarai Kale Khan for suspected cattle theft has claimed that few of the accused were known to him and kept attacking him despite knowing that he was innocent.
Iftikhar Alam (22), who works as mechanical assistant at a Metro construction site, was returning home with a colleague when the incident happened around 1.30 a.m. on Friday.
“We were going home in an SUV when our vehicle was suddenly blocked by a concrete mixture truck. The driver told me to get down and clear the way. I obliged, and had barely walked a few steps when eight to 10 boys surrounded me and accused me of trying to steal buffaloes,” said Mr. Alam.
His car driver, he claimed, got scared and drove away. The boys then allegedly dragged him to a nearby village, where he was tied up and assaulted.
“Among the attackers were Dosra and Neeraj, who regularly visit my brother’s paan shop and know me. But they failed to pay heed to my pleas and kept thrashing me till I fell unconscious,” he said.
Mr. Alam alleged the attackers called the police control room and that he was untied only after a police team reached the spot.
‘Diesel theft’
He was taken to a police post, where his colleague Sandeep arrived and allegedly slapped him. This, Mr. Alam said, was done as he had colluded with the attackers and the police to frame him for stealing diesel after they realised that cattle theft charges won’t stick.
“He slapped me in order to force me to admit that I was involved in diesel theft. Why should I take the blame for something I didn’t do? I am not a thief. I was simply going home,” he said.
A case has been registered under Sections 323, 341 and 34 of the IPC at Sunlight Colony police station.
