Alwar lynching: victim was sole breadwinner of family

The air hung thick with grief in Kolgaon village, hours after the burial of Akbar Khan, who was lynched by a mob on Friday night on suspicion of cow smuggling.

"I cannot believe that he is no more. I don't know how to survive without him. I am left alone with seven children and there is no one to support us financially and emotionally", Asmeena Bano (29), Akbar's wife told DH.

Holding her youngest daughter Manseera (3), Asmeena said, "He was the sole breadwinner in our family. All I can see is a dark future ahead without him".

Ridiculing the allegations made by police that her husband was a cow smuggler, she said, "How can he be a cow smuggler? We already own three cows and make money from their milk. Milking cows used to be his daily chore and our family prays to them".

Asmeena is now demanding support from the government in raising her children.

"His killers should be put behind bars and I request both the Haryana and Rajasthan government to support me and my children. We are poor and we need support. At least if the government can provide job to Asmeena it will be a huge relief", Akbar's grandfather, 75-year old-Umar Ahmed told DH.

After the death of her father Akbar Khan, his elder daughter Sahila Khan has taken on his job of milking the cows.

"Hours after my father was buried, the first thing I did in the morning was milking cows. I had never done it before but I learnt eventually seeing my father do it every morning", 13-year-old Sahila told DH.

Sahila, who studied till Class V in a local government school, now wants her siblings to study.

"I had to leave my studies midway but I want my brothers and sisters to study, especially after we have lost our father," said Sahila.