New Delhi, Oct 2 (IANS): Union minister and BJP leader Mahesh Sharma and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Friday met the family of a man lynched for allegedly eating beef in a Greater Noida area, adjoining the national capital.

"The incident was just an accident and was not planned," said Sharma after meeting the victim's family.

"I have met the mother and other family members of Akhlaq. It is a very tragic incident. Such incidents are like black spots on our society and is also against our 'Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb' (Ganga-Yamuna culture)," the minister said.

"No one should play politics over such an incident," said Sharma, the Bharatiya Janata Party's Lok Sabha member from Gautam Budh Nagar constituency within which the victim's village falls.

On Monday night, 50-year-old Akhlaq, a resident of Bisara village in Greater Noida, was allegedly dragged from his home and lynched for sacrificing a cow.

After meeting the Akhlaq's family, All India Majlis e Ittehadul Muslimeen president Owaisi said: "You cannot barge into anybody's house and assault every member of the family. Those guilty in this crime should face the maximum punishment under the charge of murder."

"We were hoping that the prime minister would condemn this with at least a tweet."

"It is tragic that minister Mahesh Sharma, who has taken oath on constitution, claims this was an accident. It was not an accident. This was a pre-planned murder," the AIMIM chief said.