Gau rakshaks thrash 5 carrying buffalo meat in Faridabad
Attacked by 15-20 youth, was told to chant Jai Hanuman, says auto driver
Faridabad: An auto-rickshaw driver and four of his friends were allegedly thrashed by a group of cow vigilantes on the suspicion that they were carrying beef here on Friday, the police said on Saturday. However, it emerged during the initial investigation that they were transporting buffalo meat. The police has now registered a case based on the statement of the auto driver and the meat has been sent to a forensic lab for tests, officials said.
Faridabad, Oct. 14: An autorickshaw driver and four of his friends were allegedly thrashed by a group of cow vigilantes on the suspicion that they were carrying beef here on Friday, the police said on Saturday.
However, it emerged during the initial investigation that it was buffalo meat that the Azad, the auto-rickshaw driver, and his friends were transporting, they said.
“I told them it wasn’t beef and we could go to the police... but they didn’t listen,” Azad later a TV news channel. They took them away to Basadi village a short distance away.
“When I could no longer take the pain... I fell unconscious,” he said, showing big black and blue patches on his back, arm and legs.
The police has now registered a case based on the statement of the autorickshaw driver and the meat has been sent to a forensic lab for further tests, officials said.
According to officials, the injured Azad has told them that he and four of his friends were returning from Fatehpur Billauch area to Old Faridabad on It emerged during the initial probe that it was buffalo meat that the Azad and his friends were transporting
Friday with some buffalo meat. It was near village Bajri that 15-20 youth asked them to stop, they said.
According to the auto driver, the youth thrashed them and then called up the police. They handed Azad over to the police alleging that he was a cowsmuggler, officials said.
They wanted him to say “Jai Hanuman”. “I said I will not say. They said ‘Say Jai Gau Mata’. I refused. They said we are going to feed you pork (that is strictly prohibited in Islam) if you don’t. I told them, do what you want, I will not say,” he said.
A police official said that based on the complaint of the group, a case was registered against the autodriver under the laws related to cow slaughter.
“In the initial investigation, it was found that it was buffalo meat and not beef that was being transported. Therefore, a case under relevant sections was registered on the complaint of Azad. Further action will be taken after probing the matter,” SHO, Mujesar police station, Vinod Singh, said. PTI
The assault comes just a month after the Supreme Court delivered a strong message on cow vigilantism and told states to crack down to curb the increasing instances of cow vigilantism.
A few days ago, RSS Mohan Bhagwat had stressed on a distinction between “pious” gau rakshaks, or cow protectors and criminals.