PUNE: A mob of around 50 people allegedly beaten up gau rakshaks after they stopped a tempo suspecting that it was transporting cows for slaughter.
According to The Indian Express report, the incident took place on Saturday near Shrigonda police station in Maharashtra’s Ahmednagar district .
The police say seven injured were and have arrested the vehicle’s owner, Wahid Shaikh, and driver Raju Fatrubhai Shaikhand under the Maharashtra Animal Preservation Act.
The gau rakshaks belong to a Pune-based group called Samastha Hindu Aagadi Akhil Bhartiya Krushi Gau Seva Sangh,
According to one of the “rakshaks” Shivshankar Rajendra Swamy, a team of 12 had come to the Shrigonda taluka to “watch” out for vehicles illegally transporting cows in the animal market.
According to Inspector Bajirao Powar of Shreegonda, a mob of 20-25, including the tempo’s owner and driver and local butchers surrounded the workers and attacked them, reported Mid-Day.
Members of Muslim and Dalit community, were attacked by the self-styled “Gau Rakshaks” in the name of “Gau-Bhakti” especially after the BJP government rode to power at the Centre.