Four arrested for cow vigilantism

As cow vigilante violence is on a rise, police look for perpetrators in a case of violence related to it.

Ludhiana: A Muslim man was beaten up by a group of people on Sunday afternoon for carrying 50 kilograms of buffalo meat, in the name of Cow Protection. The incident took place on the village gate of Moradabad. Four of the vigilantes have been arrested by the Katghar Police Station, while the search for others is still on.

Dr. S.T. Hasan, Member of the Parliament from Moradabad discourages the practice of illegally exploiting and assaulting people in the name of Cow Protection.

Dr. Hasan said, “I  received a video in which Shakir was beaten up with laathis by these people. The Police were informed immediately and the action was taken. I don’t think anyone has the right to assault someone in the name of ‘cow protection’. If he was doing something against the law, these people could have filed a complaint and the police would have taken the necessary action.”

He said that incidents like these promote communal discord. “We have the police department taking care of any illegal activities concerning cow slaughter, anyone who is at fault should be punished, but by law. Nobody else should take charge and beat people or take money and make a business out of it,” he added.

Shakir (Victim’s brother), in his statement, said that his brother was travelling with 50 kilograms of meat and was stopped at the village gate by the vigilantes. “They demanded a sum of Rs. 50,000 and threatened to kill him. They said they would complain against him for cow slaughter. On his denial, they started beating him with laathis,” he said in his statement.

Dr. Hasan feels that activities like these need to come to an end and it is with God’s Grace that the man is still alive.

The police department of Katghar Police Station, Moradabad has filed a First Information Report (FIR) against Shakir for carrying 50 kilograms of buffalo meat without a license. The FIR has been lodged under section 244/21, 147, 148, 149, 389, 386, 323 and 506.                                    

The spokesperson from the Social Media Cell of Katghar Police Station, Moaradabad said, “Four people have already been arrested. And, the search for others is still going on. The police department is constantly searching to track them down as soon as possible.”