In yet another incident of cow vigilantism, a group of Gau Rakshaks (cow vigilantes) barged into a Muslim home and seized all the meat and their fridge, allegedly over suspicions of storing beef.
The incident occurred in Khordha town of Odisha days after Eid al-Adha, a festival of sacrifice.
In a viral video that has surfaced on the internet, a group of cow vigilantes is seen barging into a Muslim household. The mob shouted slogans of “Jai Shri Ram” as they raided their refrigerator. They seized all the meat alongside the refrigerator, merely based on suspicion that the family had stored beef, leaving the family shaken and traumatized by the sudden and unprovoked attack.
Meanwhile, on Thursday morning, communal tension gripped the town after a Hindu group held a protest against the animal slaughter on Eid al Adha, prompting the district administration to impose a curfew under Section 144 of the CrPC.
The authorities also suspended internet service in certain sensitive areas of the town and urged people to stay in their homes and not to step out.
Pertinently on Tuesday, during the Eid al Adha celebration, communal clashes erupted between the two communities in the Balasore City of Odisha over rumours of cow slaughter in the Patrapada.
The tension escalated when cow vigilantes allegedly hurled stones leaving 20 people injured. The clashes were reported from neighbourhoods like Golapokhari, Motiganj, and Cinema Chhak.
Odisha chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi spoke to Balasore Collector Ashish Thakare, requesting him to to take immediate measures to bring the situation under control, officials said.
Additional Director General of Police (Law & Order) Sanjay Kumar has been camping in the town. Police conducted a flag march in Balasore. About 30 persons have been arrested so far, police said.
The recent attacks highlight the growing intolerance and violence against Muslims in India. Vigilantes, who claim to be “protectors” of animals, especially cows, have brazenly stepped up the attacks.
Recent attacks amid Bakrid
On June 15, a controversy erupted in Mira Road, Maharashtra when some members of the Bajrang Dal created a ruckus and attacked Muslim families who had brought lambs for sacrifice.
In a viral video that surfaced on the internet, some Bajrang Dal, radical Hindutva outfit members are seen objecting to Muslim families bringing lambs into the neighbourhood.
The altercation escalated when Bajrang Dal members allegedly attacked a Muslim family.
In Telangana’s Medak district, several people were injured in an attack by a Hindutva mob on a madrasa.
According to reports, the management of Minhaj ul Uloom Madarsa had purchased cattle for sacrifice for Bakrid. Local members of right-wing organizations created a ruckus near the madrasa after the sacrificial animals were brought in. Soon, police reached the spot and dispersed the crowd.
This is not a one-off incident. Cow vigilantes, fueled by their extremist ideology, have been on the rise in the country, particularly since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power in 2014. The frequent attacks on minorities have been described as “unprecedented” by human rights organizations.
The victims of these attacks are often from marginalised communities including Muslims and Dalits who are targeted for their perceived involvement in cattle theft or slaughter.
The Supreme Court (SC) of India has also directed states to take strict action against cow vigilantism.
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