A tragic incident unfolded in Haryana’s Faridabad on August 23, 2024, when a 19-year-old Class 12 student named Aryan Mishra was mistakenly identified as a cattle smuggler and fatally shot by a group of self-proclaimed cow vigilantes. Aryan and his two friends, Shanky and Harshit, were out late at night for a meal when the attackers began chasing their vehicle, suspecting them to be involved in cattle smuggling.

The group of five men—identified as Saurabh, Anil Kaushik, Varun, Krishna, and Adesh—chased Aryan’s car for approximately 25-30 kilometers along the Delhi-Agra National Highway before the situation escalated near the Gadhpuri toll plaza in Palwal. According to police reports, when Aryan’s vehicle did not stop upon being asked, the vigilantes opened fire, killing Aryan on the spot.

The attackers claimed they had received information about cattle smugglers in the area and mistook Aryan and his friends for them. The five suspects were arrested on August 28, and are currently in judicial custody. The authorities are investigating further, including the possibility of personal enmity being a motive, as suggested by Aryan’s father.

This incident has sparked outrage and brought attention to the actions of cow vigilante groups in the region, raising serious concerns about law enforcement and the misuse of vigilantism.