THE BEGINNING

1860s starting with the Sikhs in Punjab, cow protection ( gau rakshak) groups emerged in British India in the 19th century. 1870s the earliest recorded instances of violence during the colonial era in India. 1880s- 1890s the cow protection movement spread and many major instances of cowrelated violence were witnessed. 1893 cow- killing riots were the most intense civil disturbance in Indian after the 1857 revolt. 1900- 1947 numerous cow- related HinduMuslim riots.