Producer: Fatima Khan
Video Editor: Purnendu Pritam
The Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report has confirmed that the bodies found in the burnt bolero in Haryana’s Bhiwani are Junaid and Nasir’s, Rajasthan police officials told The Quint.
"We sent three samples for FSL testing: the DNA sample from the bones found in the burnt bolero, the blood stains in the SUV used by the accused, and the blood sample of the family members of Junaid Nasir. The FSL report has now confirmed that there is a clear match of the three DNA samples, and so this confirms that the bodies in the bolero were in fact Junaid and Nasir's,” Gaurav Srivastav, IG Bharatpur told The Quint. “This also confirms that they were abducted and taken in the SUV car found in Jind,” he added.
An SUV—a Scorpio—was found at a Gaushala in Jind in Haryana, which the Rajasthan police said was used by the accused to abduct Junaid and Nasir.
Ownership of SUV
The Scorpio was earlier been seen in a video from April 2022 where it is being used by purported cow vigilantes.
Speaking to The Quint, Srivastav spoke about the ownership of the Scorpio. “Technically, the ownership is with a Jind zila parishad head. But it was auctioned off some time in 2020, but the name of the owner wasn’t changed in the Regional Transport Office (RTO) records. What we do know is that the car was frequently used by two of the accused—Monu Rana and Vikas. But who owns this vehicle now is yet to be ascertained,” Srivastav told The Quint.
The car, which was found at the Jind Gaushala, had blood stains on its back seats. The Rajasthan police were able to reach the car after their questioning of Rinku Saini, the only accused who has been arrested so far.
'All Eight Accused Identified as Gau-Rakshaks': Police
The Rajasthan police had last Wednesday released a list of eight accused in the case, besides the one arrested Rinku Saini. This list of eight did not include Monu Manesar, a cow vigilante based out of Haryana’s Manesar, against whom there have been massive protests by locals and family members of the deceased in Bharatpur as well as in Haryana’s Nuh. There also have been multiple mahapanchayats in support of Monu in the last few weeks.
Speaking about the eight, Srivastav said that they “all identify as gau-rakshaks.”
“The one common denominator among all eight is that they are self-appointed gau-rakshaks. We have released the names and images of these eight because their role is confirmed beyond reasonable doubt,” Srivastav told The Quint.
Asked if Monu is still a suspect, Srivastav said, “There are a dozen more people being probed which involves Monu Manesar as well Lokesh Singla (both present in the FIR). And a bunch of others. But their names will be released separately when we have enough evidence to arrest them,” he said.
Junaid and Nasir were an uncle-nephew duo in Rajasthan’s Bharatpur’s Ghatmeeka village, who were abducted on 15 February and allegedly killed by Bajrang Dal members. Their burnt bodies were found in Haryana’s Bhiwani’s Loharu region, in their charred Bolero. The Rajasthan police has since been investigating the case to nab the accused.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)