A cow vigilante, Chandra Shekhar, better known by his alias Farsa Baba, died in a road crash on the Agra-Delhi highway, near Mathura, at around 4 am Saturday morning, triggering a massive protest and a traffic jam on the highway by angry locals that was controlled by the afternoon.
His supporters alleged that Baba was run over by cow smugglers when he tried to stop a truck allegedly carrying cattle near the Kotvan border area.
The Mathura district administration said that Baba along with a disciple had stopped a container truck on the highway. The vehicle, bearing a Nagaland registration number, was intercepted on suspicion of carrying cows. However, upon inspection, it was found to be transporting soap, phenyl and shampoo.
Amid dense fog in the early hours, a Rajasthan-registered truck loaded with wire approached the spot, said district magistrate Chandra Prakash Singh. Due to poor visibility, it rammed into the group, killing Farsa Baba on the spot. The truck driver sustained injuries and the vehicle was damaged, added the DM.
Following the incident, rumours spread that Farsa Baba had been deliberately killed, triggering a road blockade and stone-pelting.
Officials rushed to the scene, worked to calm the situation, and assured the public that a proper investigation would be conducted, according to the Mathura administration.
According to videos circulating on social media, protesters vandalised police and administrative vehicles when authorities attempted to clear the road. The administration said six policemen and similar number of protestors have also been injured.
DIG, Agra range, Shailesh Pandey claimed that situation is under control. Fair investigation is to take place and those responsible including those involved in ruckus will not be spared, he said.
The police has now cleared the highway for smooth movement of the traffic.
Incidentally, President Droupadi Murmu was in Mathura the same day, only about 25 km from the place of accident and protests, praying at Govardhan pilgrimage, where she participated in the aarti of Giriraj Ji Maharaj and performed Govardhan Parikrama as part of her three-day Uttar Pradesh visit.
