Harassed By Cow Protection Leaders, Accused Ends Life In Haryana

Lokesh Singla, a self‑described cow vigilance activist from Nuh district, died by suicide on July 5 along the Agra–Delhi railway track near Palwal. He had been one of the accused in the 2023 Bhiwani killings, where Muslim men Nasir and Junaid lost their lives. Before taking his life, he recorded a video that he sent to his wife, Damyanti. In the message, he accused senior Bajrang Dal leaders of stalking, threats, and plans to falsely implicate him.

FIR Against Three Bajrang Dal Leaders

Acting on Damyanti’s complaint, the Government Railway Police in Faridabad registered an FIR against three individuals named in the video: Bharat Bhushan (Bajrang Dal state coordinator in Hathin), Anil Kaushik, and Harkesh Yadav. Police charged all three with abetment of suicide and criminal conspiracy under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Investigators continue to examine the so-called video and a handwritten note recovered from the scene.

Singla was one of 13 people originally named in the Bhiwani lynching case. Investigators linked him to a violent mob, allegedly led by Monu Manesar, that abducted, attacked, and burned Nasir (25) and Junaid (35) near the Rajasthan–Haryana border in February 2023. Their deaths sparked horror across the nation and demanded accountability.

Violation of Rights

Singla reportedly aided police as a local informant and publicized anti-cattle smuggling efforts. Despite that, he said he lost faith in the vigilante network that once supported him. The allegations in his last video suggest internal coercion and grassroots power dynamics. Civil rights advocates warn that this confirms how vigilantism can internally prey on dissent.

Police formed a special investigation team to probe both the harassment claims and Singla’s role in the lynching case. However, critics question why the alleged harassers remain free even three weeks after the video went viral. The delay undermines trust that claims from victims or accused can be genuinely investigated.

Singla’s death forces a reflection on internal accountability in vigilante groups. If loyalty binds participants to power, how can those who fall out speak truth? Victims and accused both must gain legal protection. Investigators must move beyond rhetoric to uncover whether vigilantism breeds its own culture of intimidation—and whether law enforcement shielded or enabled such dynamics.

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