Cow vigilantes beat Muslim man to death; Rajasthan minister says both sides guilty

Alwar: Referring to the killing of a Muslim man by cow vigilantes over suspicion of cow smuggling in Rajasthan's Alwar district, Home Minister Gulab Chand Katariya on Wednesday asserted that violation of law in the name of protecting cows was unacceptable.

"The vigilantes have done a good job by protecting cows from smuggling. But they have violated the law by beating people brutally," he said.

"The police had stopped few vehicles that were carrying cows. Some of them fled but the vigilantes caught them and beat them," he added.

Katariya further said that the vigilantes should not have assaulted the men, adding a case was registered against the smugglers as well as the protectors who disobeyed the law.

A Muslim man died after being brutally assaulted by gau rakshaks in Rajasthan’s Alwar two days ago for allegedly transporting cows.

Pehlu Khan (55), a Muslim resident of Haryana, succumbed to his injuries on Monday night, reports said.

Reports quoted police as saying that a mob of cow vigilantes associated with the Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) beat up Khan and 4 others badly, even after they produced documents to show that he had purchased the cows.

The incident occurred near Jaguwas Crossing on NH-8, on Saturday evening. The men beat Khan to death alleging that he and his 4 friends were transporting cattle. The vigilantes allowed one of the drivers, Arjun, to leave.