The Uttar Pradesh Police on Monday imposed Section 144 in Bisahada village in the state's Dadri district, fearing clashes. Security forces in Greater Noida were on high alert after villagers called for a mahapanchayat after police refused to file a case of cow slaughter against the family of Dadri lynching victim Mohammed Akhlaq. Section 144 prohibits more than four people from gathering in an area.
According to media reports, members of the Bharatiya Janata Party and Shiv Sena held the panchayat and asked for action against Akhlaq's family. Akhlaq was lynched in Dadri last year following rumours that he had killed a calf and stored its meat at home.
A delegation of villagers, mainly comprising the family of those accused of lynching Akhlaq, met with Senior Superintendent of Police of Gautambuddh Nagar Dharmendra Singh to lodge their complaint. They based their complaint on the Mathura forensic lab report, which the lawyers of the accused had made public to the media, claiming meat found outside Akhlaq's house was beef.
Some of the villagers and Hindu groups are also demanding the release of the 17 accused for killing Akhlaq. However, authorities have maintained that the meat sample that was tested was taken from outside his house, and Akhlaq's murder remains a heinous crime.
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