A judicial inquiry into the death of Rakbar Khan has been announced today
Rajasthan minister Gulab Chand Kataria today met the family of Rakbar Khan - the man who died in Alwar after facing attack from a violent mob who suspected him of cattle smuggling - and announced a compensation of 1.25 lakh for them. The action was a first. Last year, after the death of dairy farmer Pehlu Khan in Alwar in similar circumstances, there was no such announcement. When the 55-year-old's family came to Jaipur to meet Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, she had not been available.
Coming 15 months apart, the two cases have received very different treatment. Rajasthan is months away from an assembly election when Vasundhara Raje's government will seek a second term in power.
Today, Mr Kataria announced a judicial inquiry into the death of Rakbar Khan, who was attacked by a mob late on Friday. Part of the reason was the outcry over the role of the police. With a three-hour delay in taking the injured man to the hospital, the local police have been caught in wrongdoing.
Action had been immediate - a senior officer has been suspended and four juniors have been sent to Police Lines.
Even before the police role was questioned, Mr Kataria had announced that the guilty, whoever it is, will be punished.
No inquiry by any special team was announced in the death of Pehlu Khan, even though there was outrage over cellphone videos that showed the 55-year-old man crumpling under repeated kicks and punches. The dairy farmer was caught by a group while he was taking home two cows bought at a cattle fair in April last year.
The case was investigated by the state police, who, in September, released the six men he named in his deathbed confession. Claiming they were not in the spot during the attack, the police also removed their names from the First Information Report in the case.
The police also slapped a cattle smuggling case against Pehlu Khan as he and his relatives were transporting cows without sufficient documentation. They were accused under the bovine act. His son is now contesting the case.