Rampur, July 25: Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Azam Khan on Tuesday requested Muslims to stay away from dairy business and cow trading for the safety of their upcoming generations. Khan's remark came in the light of the increasing number of lynching incidents which have taken place over suspicions of cow smuggling.

"My request to Muslims who are in dairy business and cow trading is to stop it for the safety of their upcoming generations. At a time when some politicians are saying that one must face dire consequences of just touching a cow (Gai ko chhune pe bhi anjaam bhugtna hoga), Muslims should stay away from such trade," he said.

In the intervening night of July 20-21, 28-year-old Rakbar Khan alias Akbar was allegedly beaten to death by a mob on suspicion of cow smuggling in Rajasthan's Alwar district. According to the postmortem report, Khan died of "shock as a result of ante-mortem injuries sustained over the body."

The autopsy further stated that the 28-year-old victim suffered 13 injuries in total, including eight bruises, two abrasions, a laceration, a fracture in the wrist and another in left femur. According to media reports, the Alwar police took three hours to get the victim to a hospital, which was only 6 km away.

In a similar incident, 50-year-old Pehlu Khan was beaten to death by cow vigilantes in the same district in April last year.

Condemning the growing mob lynching incidents in the country, Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said that the Centre is concerned and looking into the issue. As per the Ministry of Home Affairs data, 45 people were killed in 40 different cases across nine states between 2014 and 3 March this year.

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