Meat trader dies after ‘assaulted’ by cops on suspicion of cow slaughter

Meerut: Mohammed Salim Qureshi alias Munna, who was allegedly assaulted by police cops died in a Delhi hospital on Thursday. He was allegedly assaulted by policemen at a private wedding lawn on June 14.

According to his family, Qureshi was summoned by Kankartola police outpost in-charge Ali Mia Zaidi and two other constables, Harish Chandra and Shreepal. Qureshi is said to have collapsed during interrogation and was rushed to a local hospital. As his condition deteriorated, he was later shifted to a multispeciality hospital in the city and was finally referred to AIIMS Delhi where he died on Thursday.

Qureshi’s wife wrote a complaint to UP director-general of police OP Singh alleging that Qureshi was assaulted by the cops at the behest of a local corporator Anjum Khan alias Firdaus.

According to sources in order to extort money by threatening him, Khan had tipped off the police on cow slaughter following which police had summoned Qureshi. Meanwhile, Khan was arrested in another case of extortion on Wednesday and sent to jail.

Kalanidhi Naithani, Bareilly senior superintendent of police informed that the two constables and Kankartola outpost in-charge Zaidi were suspended following the complaint.

Following Qureshi’s death, his family agitated against police. Qureshi was the sole bread earner of the family.