Police in Maharashtra’s Jalna district have registered a case against six alleged cow vigilantes for assaulting a Dalit man and allegedly forcing him to eat cow dung after accusing him of planning to sell a bull to a Muslim butcher.
The incident reportedly took place on May 23, but the victim approached the police in August after a video of the alleged assault began circulating on social media.
Dalit Man Allegedly Assaulted Over Bull
According to the complaint, Parameshwar Suhas Hiwale was returning to Jalna with his 11-year-old son and an acquaintance, Narayan Maroti Kamble, after visiting a weekly cattle market in Deulgaon Raja. Hiwale said he had purchased a bull at the market.
The group was allegedly stopped by men claiming to be members of the Bajrang Dal and cow protection groups in the Kanhaiyanagar area.
The men allegedly accused Hiwale of planning to sell the bull to a Muslim butcher. Hiwale denied the allegation and showed them documents related to the purchase of the animal.
According to his complaint, the men then asked about his caste, abused him using caste-related slurs and assaulted him. He also alleged that cow dung was forcibly stuffed into his mouth.
Hiwale further alleged that the accused tried to force cow dung into his minor son’s mouth, but he resisted.
Companion Also Allegedly Assaulted
Hiwale’s companion, Narayan Maroti Kamble, was also allegedly abused and assaulted during the incident. The vehicle in which the three were travelling was reportedly damaged.
One of the accused allegedly recorded the incident on a mobile phone and threatened Hiwale and his family with serious consequences if they reported the matter to the police.
Hiwale told police that he did not immediately approach the authorities because of the alleged threats.
Case Registered Under BNS, SC/ST Act
Hiwale approached the Jalna Tehsil police station on August 21 after learning that a video of the incident was circulating on Instagram.
Police subsequently registered a case against six identified persons under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including provisions relating to wrongful restraint, voluntarily causing hurt and unlawful assembly.
Provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act have also been invoked.
Police Inspector Santosh Sable confirmed that the case had been registered.
Additional Superintendent of Police Vikram Sali told PTI that an FIR had been filed and that a Sub-Divisional Police Officer was conducting further investigation.
No arrests had been made in the case as of August 28.
