‘No evidence of involvement of cow protection group’: Haryana police on Aryan Mishra’s murder

by Muslim Mirror Staff

On September 3, Haryana Police said the August 23 shooting death of 19-year-old Aryan Mishra, allegedly carried out by five men, was a case of mistaken identity. Aryan, a Class 12 student, was shot dead near a toll plaza in Palwal after the accused chased him for about 30 km. Police said there was no evidence that the accused were members of a cow protection group, but their backgrounds were still being investigated.

The victim's father, Siyanand Mishra, expressed his anguish and confusion over the incident. He said that he was informed about his son's death in the early hours of August 24 and later learnt that the accused, including Anil Kaushik, had mistaken Aryan and his companions for criminals or cattle smugglers. According to Siyanand, Anil Kaushik admitted to shooting Aryan accidentally because he thought he was targeting cattle smugglers. Siyanand, however, questioned how his son was hit twice and why the others in the car were unhurt.

The Faridabad CID arrested the five accused – Anil, Krishna, Varun, Adesh and Saurabh – on August 30 and remanded them in judicial custody. The murder weapon, an illegal firearm used to fire four shots, has been recovered and is being examined by a forensic laboratory.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (ACP) (Crime) Aman Yadav said that the accused and the victim did not know each other and that the shooting occurred due to a misunderstanding. Police are continuing to investigate the accused's background to ascertain whether he belonged to a cow protection group, as rumours suggested.

Siyanand Mishra, who filed the First Information Report (FIR), stated that the shooting was not motivated by personal animosity. The police have assured that those responsible will be punished for their vigilantism.