The Madhya Pradesh Police have arrested two people for selling meat to three people who were attacked by cow vigilantes in Seoni district last week, PTI quoted the police as saying on Sunday. On May 22, five people beat up two men and a woman in Seoni on the suspicion that they were carrying beef.
“We arrested siblings Rasheed Hakim (24) and Sammi Hakim (20) on Sunday for selling meat to the three people who were beaten up on May 22,” said Dunda Seoni police station in-charge GS Uike. “The brothers are residents of Kheri village.”
With this, 10 people have been arrested so far. On Saturday, the police had arrested the five self-styled cow vigilantes under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Arms Act. They also took into custody the three people who were assaulted.
The incident came to light after a video was shared widely on social media. In the video, a group of men are seen tying two men to a tree and beating them up. One of the victims is then untied and pushed to the ground and thrashed with sticks. The attackers then force him to hit the woman who was with them with a slipper and shout “Jai Shri Ram”.
The police have impounded 140 kg of meat, suspected to be beef. Meat samples have been sent to a laboratory for analysis, reported PTI.
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi had condemned the incident after the video went viral. “This is how Muslims are treated by vigilantes created by Modi voters,” he tweeted on Wednesday. “Welcome to a New India which will [be] inclusive and as PMO India said secularism ka niqaab.” He warned that the attack would increase the alienation and marginalisation of Muslim youths.
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