19-Year-Old Student Mistaken For Cattle Smuggler, Shot Dead By Vigilantes in Haryana

A 19-year-old Class 12 student, Aryan Mishra, was tragically shot and killed in Faridabad, Haryana, after being mistaken for a cattle smuggler.

The incident occurred on the night of August 23, when Aryan and his friends, Harshit and Shanky, were out in a Duster SUV, reportedly to grab a late-night snack.

The accused, identified as cow vigilantes, chased the group for 25 kilometers, believing them to be cattle smugglers. According to the police, the vigilantes had received a tip-off that smugglers were operating in the area using Duster and Fortuner SUVs.

When they spotted Aryan’s car, they signaled it to stop, but the group, fearing it was related to a previous dispute, sped away.

The chase ended in a fatal confrontation after the vigilantes fired at the fleeing vehicle. A bullet struck Aryan, who was sitting in the front passenger seat.

After the initial shot, Harshit, who was driving, pulled over, but the attackers approached and fired another round directly into Aryan’s chest, killing him on the spot.

Five suspects—Anil Kaushik, Varun, Krishna, Adesh, and Saurav—have been arrested in connection with the murder. Police said the accused initially attempted to mislead the investigation by claiming they had discarded the weapon in a canal, but it was later recovered from Anil’s residence.

This incident follows closely on the heels of another case in Haryana’s Charkhi Dadri district, where a migrant worker was beaten to death by cow vigilantes on suspicion of consuming beef. Seven people were arrested for that murder.

The tragic killing of Aryan Mishra highlights the dangerous consequences of vigilantism and mistaken identities in a region already tense with incidents of mob violence.