Jaipur, Apr 6 (Agencies) : 55-year-old Pehlu Khan, who was beaten to death by a group of cow vigilantes in Rajasthan’s Alwar 4 days ago, was a dairy farmer, not a cattle smuggler.

According to a report in the Indian Express, Khan was planning to buy a milch buffalo when he set out from Mewat to Jaipur last Friday. As a dairy farmer, he wanted to increase the production of milk during Ramadan. But on Saturday, Khan bought a milch cow instead, as the seller extracted 12 litres of milk in front of him, and offered to sell the cow for a reasonable price.

It turned out to be the biggest mistake of his life.

Pehlu’s son Irshad was travelling in a pickup truck on that fateful day, while his father was in another truck. The truck carried two cows and two calves. The son recalled how his father was dragged out of the truck by the gau rakshaks and beaten up with sticks and belts. Along with Pehlu, 4 others were also thrashed.

Irshad claimed that the police came only about half an hour later, by which time his father was unconscious.

The gau rakshaks accused the men of illegally smuggling cows for slaughter, though they had receipts to show that the bovines had been purchased for Rs 45,000. Irshad claimed to the Indian Express that the vigilantes also robbed his father and 4 companions of Rs 35,000.

However, the police registered an FIR against the assaulted men for illegally transporting cattle for slaughter, based on a complaint filed by a man named Damodar Singh, said the report. The FIR states that Khan and his friends did not have a purchase document or receipt.