A Muslim man succumbed to his injuries at a hospital in Rajasthan’s Alwar district on April 4 after he was allegedly assaulted by vigilantes over suspicion of cow smuggling. The incident comes amid several steps taken by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled states to protect cows since it is considered to be a sacred animal by Hindus.
According to a Hindustan Times report, the deceased has been identified as Pehlu Khan (35). Recently, Khan along with at least 15 others was assaulted by ‘gaurakshaks’ on the Alwar highway. They were transporting cows in six vehicles.
Some of those attacked are undergoing treatment for injuries while the remaining are in judicial custody. The transporters are said to be Muslims from Haryana’s Nuh district.
Possessing, selling or transporting beef or beef products in Rajasthan is punishable with a minimum of 6 months in prison to a maximum of 5 years. Also, the slaughter of bovine animals is treated as a punishable offence with imprisonment for a minimum of one year and a maximum of ten years.
Meanwhile, no one has been arrested for the attack, which took place near the highway in the Jaguvas Bahror area of Alwar. The cops have registered a case of murder against six persons and 200 unknown people.
The incident came days after the Gujarat Assembly passed a bill to make cow slaughter punishable with life imprisonment. The BJP government in Uttar Pradesh has also launched a drive to curb cow smuggling. It has also shut down all illegal slaughter houses in the state.
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