Killing of Junaid and Nasir
| Date | 15 February 2023 |
|---|---|
| Location | Barwas |
| District | Bhiwani |
| State | Haryana |
| Coordinates | 28.4825°N 75.8829°E View on OpenStreetMap |
| Victims |
|
| Killed | 2 |
| Injured | 0 |
| Alleged trigger | Cattle transport |
| Allegation | Suspicion that the two men were involved in cow smuggling |
| Legal status | Chargesheet against 30 accused filed in May 2023; as of March 2026 the case was pending trial before the Kaman Sessions Court, Rajasthan, with the trial not yet begun |
The killing of Junaid and Nasir took place in February 2023, when two men from Ghatmeeka village in Bharatpur district, Rajasthan, were allegedly abducted by cow vigilantes who suspected them of cow smuggling.[1] Their burnt remains were found the next day in a vehicle at Barwas village in the Loharu area of Bhiwani district, Haryana.[2] Rajasthan Police named 30 people in a chargesheet; as of March 2026 the case was still awaiting trial.[3]
Background
Nasir, aged 25, and Junaid, also known as Juna, aged 35, were residents of Ghatmeeka village in Bharatpur district of Rajasthan. After their deaths, police said that one of the two had been involved in cow smuggling cases, and the Press Trust of India reported that five bovine smuggling cases had been registered against Junaid at different police stations. Police said they were investigating whether the killings were an act of cow vigilantism.[2]
Incident
According to their families, the two men were abducted on 15 February 2023. On the morning of 16 February a local resident alerted Bhiwani police to a burnt SUV at Loharu in which skeletal remains were found; police identified the vehicle's owner from its chassis number.[2] The Tribune reported that the vehicle was found at Barwas village, in the area of the Loharu police station in Bhiwani district.[1]
Rajasthan Police alleged that the two men had been kidnapped by cow vigilantes on suspicion of cow smuggling and severely beaten before their bodies were burnt.[1] In September 2023 the Superintendent of Police of Deeg, Brijesh Jyoti Upadhyay, said the attack had been planned about eight days in advance, that the accused had found no cattle with the two men and had then assaulted them. Police said the victims' travel plan and vehicle number had been shared in a WhatsApp group used by the accused.[4]
Investigation and legal proceedings
The victims' families alleged in their complaint that the abductors belonged to the Bajrang Dal. A first information report was registered at Gopalgarh police station in Bharatpur district against five people under sections 143, 365, 367 and 368 of the Indian Penal Code. The Inspector General of Police for the Bharatpur range, Gaurav Srivastava, said those named were associated with the Bajrang Dal but that their involvement had yet to be established. Six people were detained for questioning.[2]
In May 2023, about three months after the killings, Rajasthan Police filed a chargesheet in a court at Kaman naming 30 people as accused, with investigation still pending against 27 of them. Three accused had been arrested at that time. Those named included a Haryana-based cow vigilante who had not earlier been listed among the key accused and who was then absconding. The Tribune reported that the chargesheet did not address the role of the Nuh police, to whom the victims had allegedly been taken.[1]
Haryana Police arrested that vigilante in September 2023 and handed him to Rajasthan Police, and a court at Kaman remanded him to judicial custody. Police said WhatsApp chats showed he had been in contact with more than 20 of the accused and had guided them, while his role in the burning of the bodies was still being investigated.[4]
As of March 2026 the case was pending before the Kaman Sessions Court and the trial had not begun. According to Newslaundry, cases had been registered against 30 people, of whom five had been arrested. On 5 March 2026 the Rajasthan High Court granted bail to the principal accused, and his release was celebrated by supporters.[3]
Reactions
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot condemned the killings and directed police to take strict action, and the state's education minister, Zahida Khan, visited Ghatmeeka. A spokesperson for the Rajasthan unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Ramlal Sharma, said it was unjustified to malign any organisation before the investigation was complete.[2]
After the bail order in 2026, Junaid's elder brother, Mohammad Ismail, told Newslaundry that granting bail was "an injustice" and suggested the family was being treated unjustly because it was poor and Muslim. Nasir's younger brother, Hamid, said he had taken up work as a truck driver and was raising Nasir's children.[3]
Aftermath
In July 2025 one of the men accused in the case died after jumping in front of a train near Palwal in Haryana. Before his death he recorded a video alleging harassment by members of the Bajrang Dal. On a complaint from his wife, the Government Railway Police in Faridabad registered a first information report against three people for abetment of suicide.[5]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Sumedha Sharma. "Chargesheet in Junaid case names 30 cow vigilantes, including Monu". The Tribune. 20 May 2023. Retrieved 31 October 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 PTI. "2 men found charred in Bhiwani: Rajasthan Police detain 6 people for interrogation". The Tribune. 17 February 2023. Retrieved 31 October 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Anmol Pritam. "Three years, no trial: Bail for Monu Manesar ignites fresh anguish for Nasir and Junaid's families". Newslaundry. 13 March 2026. Retrieved 31 October 2026.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Sumedha Sharma. "Manesar played key role in Nasir-Junaid murder: Police". The Tribune. 15 September 2023. Retrieved 31 October 2026.
- ↑ Sanjay Yadav. "'Harassed' by Bajrang Dal activists, cow vigilante jumps before train near Palwal". The Tribune. 9 July 2025. Retrieved 31 October 2026.