Won't tolerate Alwar lynching-like incidents: Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje

Jaipur (Rajasthan): Days after a 55-year-old dairy farmer died after allegedly being attacked by cow vigilantes in Alwar, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on Tuesday said such incidents will not be tolerated in her state.

This is the first time that Raje has spoken on the incident that shook the nation and found resonance in Parliament too.

"The police is investigating. Few have been arrested. Such things won't be tolerated in Rajasthan. The wrong-doers won't be spared," Raje said.

Raje's statement came a day after state Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria termed the victim, Haryana resident Pehlu Khan, a cow smuggler.

During a discussion in the assembly, Kataria said that "a smuggler has no religion" and claimed that Pehlu Khan did not have valid papers for transporting cows. His comments had led to protests both inside and outside the assembly.

Protests were held outside the assembly earlier in the day by civil society organizations in which members of victims' families also participated.

Khan, who hailed from Haryana, along with four others, including his two sons, was attacked by cow vigilantes in Alwar's Behror on April 1 when he was transporting cows. Khan had died on April 3 during treatment at a hospital, while his associates suffered injuries.