Pehlu Khan Lynching: Two Minors Convicted in 2017 Cow Smuggling Case to be Sentenced Tomorrow

Six men accused in the horrific lynching walked free in August last year when the Alwar Sessions Court acquitted them, giving them the benefit of the doubt in the murder of 55-year-old Pehlu Khan.

New Delhi: Two teenagers were on Friday found guilty for the murder of dairy farmer Pehlu Khan, who was mercilessly lynched by a mob of suspected cow vigilantes in 2017. The Alwar Juvenile Justice Board in Rajasthan convicted the accused duo to be sentenced on Saturday.

However, being minors, they can be held in custody for a maximum period of three years as per the juvenile law. The two minors are also the first to be convicted in the incident that caused massive outrage across the nation.

Six men accused in the horrific lynching walked free in August last year when the Alwar Sessions Court acquitted them, giving them the benefit of the doubt in the murder of 55-year-old Pehlu Khan.

The incident took place on April 1, 2017, when Khan along with his sons was returning to Haryana from the cattle fair near Jaipur. On their way back, they were attacked by a mob of alleged ‘gau rakshaks‘ in Alwar’s Behror. Khan and his two sons were gheraoed by the mob and beaten to a pulp on suspicion of cow smuggling. Khan succumbed to his injuries two days later.

The episode was also recorded on camera and went viral across social media platforms. In October last year, the Rajasthan government had filed an appeal in the High Court challenging the acquittal of six accused by a lower court.