Two Muslim cattle traders were allegedly assaulted and publicly humiliated by members of cow vigilante groups in Haryana’s Karnal district on suspicion of cow smuggling. The incident has sparked concern after videos of the assault surfaced online.
The two men were later handed over to the police, and an FIR was registered against them at Sector 13 Police Station.
Video Shows Public Assault
A viral video from the incident shows a group of self-styled cow vigilantes, along with members linked to the Bajrang Dal and Vishva Hindu Parishad, beating one of the men with sticks while he appeared half-naked and defenseless.
According to the vigilantes, they intercepted a truck on Meerut Road in Karnal after receiving information that cattle were being transported from Punjab to Uttar Pradesh. They claimed to have found 23 animals, including 19 cows and four calves, packed inside the vehicle.
A member of the Gau Raksha Dal alleged that the traders were taking the cattle for slaughter in Bihar and accused them of opening fire while trying to escape.
“When we chased them after spotting cows in the truck, they fired at us,” the vigilante claimed while speaking to local media.
Police Register Case Against Traders
Police later took the truck into custody and detained the two accused, identified as Iyasar Ali and Mohammad Usman, residents of Malerkotla in Punjab.
Officials said the recovered cattle would be shifted to a nearby cowshed for care while the investigation continues.
A police officer confirmed that action was taken after information from the Gau Raksha Dal and that further legal steps would depend on the findings of the investigation.
Cow Vigilantes Defend Action
Defending the assault, a Gau Raksha Dal leader appealed for public support and vowed to continue their campaign.
“We are not going to stop. We will fight till our last breath,” he said, adding that calls for communal harmony were meaningless because, according to him, “the other community only wants to target our religion.”
The remarks have drawn criticism from rights groups and activists, who have repeatedly raised concerns over increasing incidents of mob violence in the name of cow protection.
