BHOPAL: TWO video clips of four alleged cow smugglers being thrashed by a group of vigilantes and a cop in Betul district of Madhya Pradesh have gone viral on social media.
In one of the videos, one of the alleged cow smugglers is seen being grabbed by his shirt by a uniformed policeman trying to bind the man’s hands with a saffron scarf. The cop then lets go of the man who is then mercilessly thrashed by at least three vigilantes one by one.
The alleged cow smuggler is kicked and beaten with sticks as uniformed policeman watches. The vigilantes also try to tie up the alleged cow smuggler with ropes even as he begs with folded hands.
In another video, three other alleged cow smugglers (one of them with hands tied up with a white towel) are seen being beaten up by the uniformed cop.
The incidents happened in Dulharia village in the Mohad police station precinct of Betul district (200 km from Bhopal) possibly on July 29.
According to the Betul superintendent of police D R Teniwar, the incident happened in Dulharia village when four alleged cow smugglers (all from Harda district) were caught by a group of gau rakshaks.
The police officer confirmed that the cow vigilantes assaulted the men. He also said it was the thrashed men who ended up being arrested.
“The men who were indulging in cattle smuggling have been arrested and booked under relevant laws. The cattle being smuggled by them have been seized. The villagers and cow vigilantes who assaulted the four men have been booked by for assault, but are yet to be arrested,” said Teniwar.
The SP further said that subdivisional officer police (SDOP Bhainsdehi) P S Thakur has been directed to conduct a probe into the involvement of a policemen in the incident.
Meanwhile, Station house officer SDOP Bhainsdehi informed the press that Sections 341, 147, 294 and 323 of IPC was lodged against identified assailants Shyam, Manak, Sundar Parate and others.
The policeman spotted in the video is yet to be identified. All of them are absconding.