Members of the Muslim community were allegedly attacked in two separate incidents on allegations of cow smuggling and beef consumption in Haryana and Bihar respectively.
Haryana
Two Muslim youths – Saleem and Mujahid – had gone to Manpur village to buy cattle. Saleem and Mujahid sell cattle to zamindars for a living.
“Suddenly someone shouted, ‘These two are Muslims’ and we were surrounded by men with axes,” Saleem alleged.
On seeing the mob, Mujahid said that he started his motorbike but was attacked. “My bike fell to the ground. I ran away to save my life,” Mujahid alleged. Saleem however could not escape. “They tried to aim my head but I raised my hand and got cut. I also got hit on my legs,” he alleged.
According to Saleem, he heard one of them shouting, “Take him to the room and electrocute him.”
“I remember one of my attackers is the nephew of the sarpanch,” Saleem said adding, “They took away my watch and Rs 50,000.”
Fortunately, a man, who was also a Hindu, went to save Saleem. He asked the attackers to stop and told Saleem to run. “He was also a Hindu. He told the attackers that he knows me and asked me to leave the place,” Saleem said.
Later Saleem lodged an FIR at the Mundkani police station.
However, Siasat.com spoke to Mundkani police who although agreed there was an FIR lodged by Saleem but denied any such incident took place.
“There was a small fight between Saleem and the accused – Manish. An FIR was registered and Manish was arrested yesterday,” the police said.
Manish is currently on bail, police added.
Saleem and Mujahid are residents of Roopraka village in Haryana. Saleem has six children, the oldest being nine years old.
Bihar
On February 20, police arrested a 58-year-old Muslim man – Ansarul Sheikh – on charges of allegedly carrying beef. A video has emerged on social media from Raxaul, Bihar, where a distraught Sheikh can be seen begging a mob that it is not cow’s meat, but buffalo’s.
A case was registered against Sheikh and he was produced before the court that sentenced him to jail. Sheikh is currently lodged in Motihari jail.
Siasat.com spoke to Raxaul police station when officials said that the investigation is still on. “We have sent the meat sample to the veterinary doctor who is yet to confirm if it is cow’s or buffalo’s meat,” police said.
