Cow vigilantes thrash three, film assault

MUMBAI: Three youths were allegedly thrashed in Maharashtra on suspicion of possessing beef by cow vigilantes, who also circulated a video of the act on social media.

The incident took place on May 26 in Washim district and seven suspected cow vigilantes were arrested from the village on the same day. The police have also booked the three victims for the possession of “beef”, a police officer said.

As the video of the incident was doing rounds on social media, the police were maintaining a strict vigil to avert any untoward incident during the festive season of Ramzan, Washim SP Mokshada Patil told news agency PTI.

The incident occurred last Friday when the three youths were allegedly carrying the meat to sell it in their community for consumption, she said.

After some cow vigilantes got wind of this, they went to the village, beat up the youths and also shouted slogans, the SP said.

The activists seized the meat and took the youths to Malegaon Police Station which is 12 km away from the village.

The police registered a case against the cow vigilantes under various sections of the IPC, including rioting and voluntary causing hurt. Patil said one of the cow vigilantes filmed the incident on his mobile phone and circulated the video.

The police also booked the three youths for possessing “beef” under various sections of the amended Maharashtra Preservation and Security of Animals Act, the officer said.