A man accused of carrying beef was beaten up by a gang of four in Maharashtra’s Nagpur district on Wednesday, ANI reported. Four men were arrested on Thursday and remanded in police custody for five days.
The news agency tweeted a video of the incident, where the man is seen being dragged, kicked and assaulted by the group of men.
The man was identified as 40-year-old Ismail Shah, News18 reported, adding that the detained men are part of political organisation, Prahar Sangathan. Shah was travelling on his two-wheeler when he was stopped by the men in Nagpur’s Bharsingi area. He is believed to have pleaded the men that he was not carrying cow meat before he was beaten up by them, News18 reported.
The meat has been sent for forensic investigation, reports said.
The incident comes weeks after a 16-year-old Muslim boy was beaten up aboard a a local train to Ballabhgarh in Haryana on June 22 after he was called a “beef eater”. A Jharkhand trader was lynched by cow vigilantes on June 29 after he was suspected the have carried beef.
Incidentally, on June 29, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had disapproved of killings in the name of cow worship. The prime minister had said no one had the right to take the law into their hands, and that there is no place for violence in a society as violence has never resolved any problem.
Buy an annual Scroll Membership to support independent journalism and get special benefits.
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!