An MP villager suspected to be smuggling cattle from Rajasthan was allegedly assaulted by cow vigilantes in Baran district on Thursday before being reported to police, who arrested him for transporting calves in excess of what the vehicle’s capacity was.
According to TOI, As per police reports, Laxminarayan Lodha, 40, had purchased three pairs of calves in Baran for farming and was transporting them to a village in Rajgarh district of MP, while transporting he was accosted and thrashed by a dozen Gau Rakshak Dal members.
He was beaten mercilessly which led him to not file any complaint against the perpetrators.
Being injured in the assault, Lodha refused to file a complaint against the vigilantes, the police said.
A video clip further showed Lodha being held by the vigilantes and being beaten up surfaced on social media. He apologised repeatedly and insisted on being a farmer in the video.
Parmanand Meena, SHO of Sarthal police station, said “Lodha’s arrest was based on a case filed by Ajay Tyagi, head of the Gau Rakshak Dal.”
It needs to be mentioned here that, Rajasthan is notorious for its cow vigilantes popularly called ‘gau rakshaks’. Led by organisations such as Gau Raksha Dal, Rashtriya Mahila Gau Raksha Dal besides fringe right-wing groups including Bajrang Dal, these mobs attack people transporting cattle.
The police stated, “Lodha has been booked for transporting cattle in excess of the capacity of the vehicle.”
