Violence related to cow vigilantism rises, police buck up to ensure peace

The BJP-led state government brought in the Maharashtra Animal Preservation (Amendment) Act on March 4, 2015, with provisions to jail or penalise anyone found selling or possessing beef. Since then, self-proclaimed “gau rakshaks”, doubled up as police informers, are providing tip-offs about vehicles they believe are transporting cow meat.

While there have not been many instances of violent attacks by gau rakshaks till a month ago, there has been a series of violent confrontations initiated by the vigilantes over the past one month.

In the latest case that took place in Nashik, 11 cow vigilantes were arrested by Nashik rural police for allegedly attacking two cattle transporters, leading to the death of one of them — Afaan Abdul Ansari. According to police, Ansari and one Nasir Shaikh, who was with him in the car, were beaten up with iron rods and wooden sticks.

Police registered a case under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act against the deceased and Shaikh was admitted to the hospital with injuries. In the absence of immediate DNA tests to prove that the seized meat was cow or bull meat, which is illegal, police invoked PCA and related Acts that spell out conditions to transport animals.

On June 19, Shekhar Rapeli (32), a gau rakshak, was killed in an attack after he and his friends intercepted a vehicle in Nanded on suspicion of smuggling cattle. According to police, around 11.30 pm that day, Shekhar and his seven friends who were returning from Telangana in an SUV after attending a family function, saw a Bolero tempo and suspected that it was transporting cattle illegally. They chased the vehicle and intercepted it.

On questioning, men in the vehicle offered the vehicle to be checked. When they were about to check the tempo, about 10-15 men from the vehicle and some others who were riding two-wheelers along, allegedly attacked them with sticks and sharp weapons. Injured Shekhar and four others were taken to the Shivni government hospital, where doctors declared Shekhar dead.

Nanded police arrested three people in the case, all Telangana residents. Later, the police station incharge of Islapur police station, API Ravi Wahule, was suspended for not taking adequate measures to prevent such incidents.

On June 8, Padgha resident Lukman Ansari, 23, died and his friend was severely injured after he was allegedly assaulted with bamboo sticks and an iron rod by Rashtriya Bajrang Dal (RBD) activists and others claiming to be “gau rakshaks” in Nashik district’s Igatpuri. Lukman’s body was found in a 150-metre deep trench in Igatpuri on June 10.

The Nashik Rural police arrested six cow vigilantes and charged them with murder. Some of the accused were associated with the Rashtriya Bajrang Dal (RBD), founded by Praveen Togadia.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the accused had demanded money from Lukman and his associates and when they failed to give it, they were assaulted, forcefully taken to another district (from Thane to Nashik) and assaulted again. Police, however, did not invoke sections of extortions and kidnapping in the case.

On April 23 in Latur, Asif Qureshi, who was transporting cattle, was apprehended by cow vigilantes. They forced him to bow before a cow, demanding an apology in the presence of two constables and three home guards. Qureshi was later admitted to the hospital which the police said was due to high blood pressure. Later the Latur SP, initiated action against the five policemen.

An officer who did not want to be named said that over the past few years, the networks of “gau rakshaks” have become strong and they work in an organised manner. In the latest case in Nashik, police found that it was a toll plaza employee who tipped off cow vigilante groups.

Police say such groups usually take an employee of the toll plazas into confidence who then tips them off when any “suspicious” vehicle. These groups then armed with the registration number, chase the vehicle and intercept it.

The officer said, “In some cases, like the incident on June 9, we have also found that the accused demand money from the car owner. If the person is willing to pay up, they are allowed to go. It thus becomes a money-making activity as well.”

An officer said that in districts such as Nanded that share borders with neighbouring states, things are sensitive. In Nanded alone, where a gau rakshak was killed on June 19, 33 offences were registered between January-June, against those who were illegally transporting animals under relevant sections of law for preservation and prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Nanded district shares border with Telangana and Karnataka where people often transport animals from village to village across border. Cases against the animal transporters registered because they generally do not have relevant documents and do not follow the provisions in the law for safely transporting the animals.

Shashikant Mahavarkar, Inspector General (IG) (Nanded region), said, “People transport animals for various reasons, including for agricultural needs, dairy business, and various other domestic and commercial purposes. But some people, due to over enthusiasm, intercept animal transporters. We have been appealing to such groups and the general public if they receive any kind of information on illegal transportation of animals, then inform the police and do not take any action.”

He added, “Police are there to verify the information and take necessary action. Any policeman who does not act will face action.” The IG also denied any instance of false registration of case against cow vigilantism.

Former minister and working president of the Maharashtra Congress Naseem Khan told The Indian Express, “With these incidents, one wonders if there is rule of law in the Shinde government. Either the police in the state are weak or it has received instructions to not interfere in such cases. The government should ensure such cases do not continue and provide Rs 10 lakh compensation to the families that have lost their loved ones due to this.”

Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narvekar on Monday directed police to ensure that “gau rakshaks” are not booked on false charges, and that FIRs be lodged and probed if they are threatened or attacked. Narvekar gave these directions at a meeting of individuals and organisations working against cow slaughter in the state.