Regrets for killing a 'Brahmin brother', but what if he had been Muslim?

On August 23, a class 12 student named Aryan Mishra was chased down and shot dead by a group of five individuals in Faridabad, Haryana. The suspects, who are reportedly cow vigilantes or gau-rakshaks, alleged they mistook Aryan and his friends for cattle smugglers.

The accused — Saurabh, Anil Kaushik, Varun, Krishna and Adesh — were apprehended on 28 August and remanded into police custody for two days. They now face charges related to murder and illegal possession of weapons.

What actually happened?

The 30 km chase

The accused claimed that on the night of 23 August, they received information about suspected cattle smugglers operating in the city.

Mistaking Aryan and his friends, who were driving a Renault Duster, for these smugglers, the accused pursued their vehicle for approximately 30 kilometres on the Delhi–Agra National Highway.

When the Duster did not stop, the accused opened fire, killing Aryan at the Gadhpuri toll in Palwal.

The accused told the police that when they asked the boy and his friends to stop their car, the driver accelerated, as per sources.

In his complaint, Aryan’s father Siya Nand Mishra said his son had gone for a drive with his friends Harshit Gulati and Sagar (Shanky) Gulati, per the Indian Express.

Arrest and custody

Following the shooting, the accused were arrested and later sent to judicial custody.

Police said the shots were fired by Anil Kaushik (38), who has two assault cases against him. “Aryan was first hit in the back of his head. As the Duster stopped, the accused approached them and shot again, hitting Aryan on his arm," said ACP (crime) Aman Yadav, per the Indian Express.

The police said the main accused runs an outfit called ‘Live for Nation’ that advocates cow protection, added the report.

The weapon used in the crime and the vehicle used by the suspects have been recovered. The police are investigating whether the attack was related to old enmity or indeed a case of mistaken identity.

Confession and allegation

Aryan’s father, Siya Nand Mishra, described a painful encounter with Anil Kaushik, one of the accused. “He said he thought my son was a Muslim. Now he regrets killing a Brahmin,” Mishra said, per the Print.

“I asked Kaushik, ‘Why would you kill a Muslim? Only because of a cow?’” said Mishra. “‘You could have shot at the car wheel or called the police. Why take the law in your own hands?’ Kaushik didn’t have any response,” he added.

“My son is not a cow smuggler. He was a devout Hindu,” said the father. “I carried the body of my youngest son on my shoulders,” he cried. “This illegality in the name of gau raksha must stop. I don’t endorse it,” said Siya Nand Mishra to Print.

Police action

Authorities are investigating the case thoroughly, including examining CCTV footage and mobile records. The police have also been scrutinising the background of the accused and their connections.

“We scanned hundreds of CCTV cameras and checked mobile intelligence. We tracked five cellphone numbers in the area, besides the victims’ phones, and traced them to the accused,” said a police officer, as per Indian Express.

The killing has sparked significant concern within the people, raising questions about the extent of vigilantism prevalent and its implications for law and order and public safety.

It is the impunity of commiting the crime itself — a violent murder — is the central issue, not the victim's identity, many netizens have pointed out. It’s vital to condemn such acts universally.

With inputs from PTI.