A tragic case of mistaken identity led to the death of a 19-year-old student in Haryana’s Faridabad district, after he was shot by a group of men who mistook him for a cattle smuggler. The victim, Aryan Mishra, was in a red SUV with his friends Harshit and Shanky when the incident occurred late on August 23.

According to sources, the accused, identified as cow vigilantes, had received information about suspected cattle smugglers operating in the area using SUVs. Upon spotting Aryan’s car, the vigilantes signaled for it to stop, but the driver, Harshit, did not comply. This prompted the group to chase the SUV for about 25 kilometers, all the way to the Palwal toll plaza.

In their pursuit, the vigilantes fired at the SUV, with a bullet piercing the rear window and striking Aryan, who was in the front passenger seat. After Aryan was hit, Harshit stopped the vehicle. The attackers then approached and fired another shot into Aryan’s chest, resulting in his death on the spot.

Five men have been arrested in connection with the murder. Faridabad Police have identified the suspects as Anil Kaushik, Varun, Krishna, Adesh, and Saurav. During police interrogation, the accused initially tried to mislead authorities by claiming they had discarded the murder weapon in a canal. However, further investigation led to the recovery of the firearm at Anil Kaushik’s residence.

The incident has sparked outrage and calls for justice in the community, highlighting the dangers of vigilante actions and the importance of proper law enforcement procedures. The investigation is ongoing, with police authorities working to gather more evidence and understand the full circumstances surrounding the tragic death of Aryan Mishra.