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Thirteen people have been arrested so far for the death of two tribal men who were assaulted early Tuesday over allegations of cow slaughter in Seoni in Madhya Pradesh.
Congress MLA Arjun Singh Kakodia, who blocked the Jabalpur-Nagpur highway for six hours, seeking government jobs and Rs 1 crore compensation each for the families of the two men, alleged that the assailants included men associated with the Bajrang Dal and Ram Sena. Kakodia said the administration should demolish the houses of the accused.
Police declined to comment on Kakodia’s claim about the assailants being linked to the Bajrang Dal and Ram Sena, saying investigations were underway.
Police said Sampatlal Vatti and Dhansai Invati, who were taken to hospital by Seoni police, died soon after. A third man, Brijesh Vatti, was injured in the attack, police said.
On Wednesday, authorities handed appointment letters to Sampatlal’s daughter and Dhansai’s son, appointing them as daily wagers with the district administration. The families have been awarded compensation of Rs 8.25 lakh each.
Based on the complaint of the injured Brijesh Vatti, police registered a case under sections of the IPC, including the charge of murder, and provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against 18 people — it names 6 and 12 unidentified.
Umesh Joga, IG of Jabalpur range under whose jurisdiction Seoni falls, told The Indian Express that police received a phone call around 2 am Tuesday and rushed to the site where they found three injured men. “The three were rushed to the hospital after which one person succumbed to injuries at 5.30 am. Another person died around 6.30 am. Brijesh received treatment for his injuries,” he said.
Joga said 10-12 kg meat was recovered from the spot, and has been sent for forensic testing to ascertain if it was cow meat. “We are also investigating who called to inform the police. Those numbers are now switched off, but details are being sought from service providers,” he said.
Brijesh Vatti, who survived the attack, said, “It was night when I heard people shouting ‘maaro-maaro, ye gau maas khaate hain’ (beat them up, they eat beef). But when I stepped out, they began beating me as well.” He said there were 15-20 men with sticks, beating two persons, “one of whom I identified as Dhansai from my village”.
According to Brijesh, it was only after village residents intervened that he was spared. In his statement to police, he named 24-year-old Sampat Maskale as one of the men who rescued him.
Sampat said it was around 1.30 am when his uncle said he could hear shouts. He said when they stepped out, they saw three men being beaten by a group of around 20 men.
“They were beating them with sticks and trying to make them sit on bikes to take them away. When we asked, they told us that the three were involved in cow slaughter. But when we asked them to show us the meat, they told us that there was meat lying in a gunny bag in a corner. But we did not see it,” Sampat said.
He said by then many from the village had intervened. “We refused to let them (the assailants) leave with the two men. By then, they had let Brijesh go. We told them to call the police, which is when one of them called,” he said.
Madhubai Vatti, wife of Sampatlal Vatti, said, “My husband left Monday evening, saying there is a karyakram (programme) in a neighbouring village. We got a call from the police in the morning to come to the hospital and identify his body. We want justice. Those who killed my husband should be punished, we want their houses demolished.”
Asked if Sampatlal had told her what the “karyakram” was, she said, “He would leave and return late, many times without informing. It was routine, there was nothing unusual.”
According to police, Seoni along with districts like Chhindwara and Balaghat have vigilante groups that keep tabs on cow smuggling from Madhya Pradesh to adjoining Maharashtra through forests.