The Delhi Police on Monday arrested a 32-year-old man in connection with the assault of three Muslim youths transporting buffaloes on April 22, ANI reported. The accused, identified as one Shashank Sharma, has claimed to be a member of Union Minister Maneka Gandhi’s People for Animals group, though she had denied allegations that members of her organisation were involved in the incident.
Sharma is a resident of outer Delhi’s Rohini township and runs a car rental business, the police told Scroll.in. His association with the NGO is still being verified. The police are on the lookout for the other accused whose identities have been ascertained, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast) Romil Baaniya.
Two cases – one for the assault and the other for cruelty towards animals – were registered in connection with the incident, which took place near Kalkaji Temple in Southeast Delhi. The police arrested the victims on Sunday on charges of cruelty towards animals.
NDTV had shared a video where a man claimed that he had chased the transporter’s vehicle from Gurugram as the cattle were being taken for slaughter. The police had said the three men were taking 14 buffaloes in a truck to east Delhi’s Ghazipur mandi when they were stopped by members of the non-governmental organisation. Investigators have ruled out any involvement of cow vigilante groups in the incident.
The victims have been identified as Rizwan (25), Ashu (28) and Kamil (25). While Rizwan and Kamil are residents of Pataudi town in Haryana, Ashu is a resident of Mathura in Uttar Pradesh.
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