Bajrang Dal men stop train carrying cows

District president of Bajrang Dal Ajit Malhotra, however, made it clear that the compromise was only a means of buying time, 8220;The gaushala owners did not agree to keep the cows we had unloaded from the train. We don8217;t care what the committee finds out, we will not allow any cow, whether it is a milch animal or not, to be transported out of Punjab.8221; He admitted that they had looked through four or five of the coaches but could not pin down any irregularities.

Ram Chander, one of the workers accompanying the cows, said, 8220;Four of the men jumped into the coach. They hit me with lathis and kept saying that the cows were going to be butchered. They were drunk. I jumped off the train and hid in a field of wheat.8221; Sangrur Deputy Commissioner Anirudh Tiwari, who reached the spot shortly after the mob stopped the train, however, denied that any violence had taken place, 8220;I received no complaint, even verbally, regarding any attack. No report has been lodged.8221;

When it was pointed that there were reports that the mob had been gathering much before the train arrived and no action was taken to divert the train, he added, 8220;I am not aware if this happened. The protest was peaceful, however, it was not easy to talk to the mob, they were under the influence of liquor. Only after dawn did we start talks and reach a compromise. After the re-checking we will ensure that the law is upheld, whatever the activists may say.8221;

At Kila Raipur, angry traders and villagers had gathered when the train returned. Some off the cows, which had been taken to the gaushalasin Ahmednagar, were being ferried back in trucks. Since November, five trains carrying milch cows have left for West Bengal. The cows are certified by a team of three veterinary officer from Kila Raipur. One of the officers, Dr Gurseva.K. Singh had told The Indian Express earlier, 8220;We check each animal and place an ear tag on it before loading. Almost all the animals are freshly calved and the calves accompany them. Each is likely to remain a milch animal for at least four to five years after reaching West Bengal. No irregularities have been detected in any of the cases. From the type of expensive milch animals being sent it seems very unlikely that they would be butchered. It does not make economic sense.8221;

The issue is already threatening to take on political overtones. According to Congress General Secretary rural Manmohan Singh Narangwal said, 8220;We will gather people from this area and gherao Ahmedgarh Mandi if they continue to stop this trade.