Kalkaji ‘gau rakshak’ attack: Delhi Police arrest ‘PFA member’

Gupta has, however, claimed that the assault was not carried out by PFA members but by men from a “gau raksha” group. PFA trustee Gauri Maulekhi said the NGO did not issue stickers for vehicles and could not be held responsible for the actions of “lakhs of people” who were its members. The incident took place less than 100 metres from Kalkaji police station. Later that day, PFA disabled its website, which carried Gaurav Gupta and his brother Saurabh Gupta as members of its Delhi unit. According to the group’s website, Union Minister Maneka Gandhi is the chairperson of the group.

The truck that was intercepted was transporting buffaloes from Haryana’s Pataudi to Ghazipur in east Delhi, where a legal slaughter house exists. Police said two FIRs have been filed — one against the men transporting the animals; the other against unknown persons for assaulting them.

The victims were identified as Pataudi residents Rizwan (25) and Kamil (25), and Ashu (28) from Mathura, DCP (South East) Romil Baaniya said. They were arrested under IPC section 429 (mischief by killing or maiming cattle) and provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act on the basis of a complaint by PFA members, Baaniya said. The men were released on bail, Sunday evening.

A case under IPC sections 323 (causing hurt) and 341 (wrongful restraint) was registered against unknown persons on the basis of a complaint filed by the driver, police said, adding that the animals and the vehicle have been seized.