Two tribal men who were beaten by a group of 15-20 people over suspicion of killing a cow in the Seoni district in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh have died, local police said on Tuesday.
According to police officials, the victims were beaten between 2:30 a.m. and 3 a.m. (IST) on Monday. Another person was injured in the incident, the officials added.
While talking to the press, Additional Superintendent of Police S.K. Maravi said: "A case of murder has been registered at the Kuarai police station and police teams are searching for the accused. Some of the accused are named [in the complaint] and others are unidentified".
The police have booked 20 people in connection with the incident.
The case was registered following a complaint by Brajesh Batti, who was injured in the incident.
Former state chief and chief of the state unit of Congress, Kamal Nath, said in a tweet in Hindi: “I demand from the government that strict action be taken against the culprits by announcing a high-level inquiry into this incident. All possible help should be given to the families of the victims and arrangements for treatment of the injured man at government expense”.
Nath said the kin of the deceased and local residents have claimed a Hindu group - Bajrang Dal - was involved in the incident.
Former State Chief of Madhya Pradesh Kamal Nath Condemns Killing of Tribal Men
© Photo : Twitter/@OfficeOfKNath
Kamal Nath Demands Probe into the Matter and Assistance to Kin of Victims
© Photo : Twitter/@OfficeOfKNath
The former state chief also claimed that NCRB (National Crime Records Bureau) data showed Madhya Pradesh was number one among states in terms of crimes against tribals.
Kamal Nath Claims that Crime Against Tribals in Madhya Pradesh are Increasing
© Photo : Twitter/@OfficeOfKNath
The opposition Congress party in the Bharatiya Janata Party-governed state also alleged that the attackers belong to Bajrang Dal and demanded a high-level inquiry into the incident and swift action against the culprits.
After the incident came to light, a group led by Congress legislator Arjun Singh Kakodia started a protest on the Jabalpur-Nagpur highway.
Kakodia demanded that Bajrang Dal be banned and that the families of the victims should be given INR 10 million ($130,592) as well as government jobs as compensation.