Men with buffalo meat attacked in Faridabad

VIGILANTE TERROR Assault continued even after the cops arrived on the scene; case registered against 1520 unknown persons

FARIDABAD : A group of men was allegedly assaulted by so-called cow protection groups in Old Faridabad on Friday, the latest in a string of attacks by right-wing groups on people over suspicions that they may be selling or consuming cow meat. ››

FARIDABAD : A group of men was allegedly assaulted by so-called cow protection groups in Old Faridabad on Friday, the latest ina string of attacks by right-wing Hindu groups on people over suspicions that they maybe selling or consuming cow meat.

Police have filed cases against the victims as well as “15-20 unknown persons” who attacked them, and will investigate the origin of theme at that the men were carrying for which they were assaulted.

“We were beaten black and blue and told to raise slogans like ‘gau mata ki jai’ (hail the cow mother) and hanumankijai ( hail hanuman) — which we refused”, said Azad, whow as one of the people attacked. Three of the four victims appeared to be Muslims.

He added that the assault continued even after the policemen arrived on the scene.

“We have registered a case under sections of Haryana Gau- van sh San ra ks han and Gausamvardhan Act Act against As ad, Shehzad, Shake el and So nu ,” said ACP Mujesar Radhey Shyam.

The officer said another FIR has been registered under sections of rioting, causing hurt and criminal intimidation against 15-20 unknown people.

Azad, being treated for his injuries at a hospital, said he and his accomplices buy meat from the Fate hp ur Tag eh area and sell it in the Old Far ida bad meat market .“We sell buffalo meat in Old Far ida bad market and we do this everyday ,” he said, denying they were carrying cow meat.

The cow is a sacred animal for Hindu sand vigilante groups that claim to be working to stop its smuggling and killing have been behind a growing number of attacks in recent years.

The incidents have coincided with the growing strength of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP, the political arm of the RSS.

MEAT WAS THAT OF BUFFALO: VET

“The veterinary doctor has reported that the meat checked was that of Buffalo,” an official release said. Commissioner of Police, Far ida bad Dr Han if Qureshi also confirmed that theme at recovered was that of Buffalo meat.

“Since the meat recovered turned out to be that of Buffalo meat, we have made complainant in the first FIR as accused in the second and we have formed teams to arrest all the accused”, Qureshi told HT.

We were beaten black and blue and told to raise slogans like ‘gau mata ki jai’ (hail the cow mother) and hanuman ki jai (hail hanuman) —which we refused.

AZAD, one of the victims