Cow vigilantism
THE horrifying murder of Nasir and Junaid, two young men who were kidnapped from Rajasthan’s Bharatpur district and whose charred bodies were found in an SUV in neighbouring Haryana, is a stark reminder of the cow vigilantes’ impunity and blatant disregard for the law. The victims’ family members have alleged that some Bajrang Dal activists, doubling as ‘gau rakshaks’, and policemen lynched the youths and then set their bodies ablaze. The charge of cops’ complicity in the crime is what makes this case shockingly special and it needs to be probed thoroughly. It is apparent that dereliction of duty by the law enforcers emboldened the lawbreakers. According to the police, one of the victims was facing five cases related to cow smuggling. However, the due process of law should have been followed while dealing with him rather than resorting to ‘instant justice’.
The case is a throwback to the lynching of Rajasthan dairy farmer Pehlu Khan, who was fatally assaulted by a mob in Alwar in 2017 when he and others were transporting cattle from a weekly market in Jaipur to their village in Nuh, Haryana. A shoddy probe by the police had led to the acquittal of six accused persons in 2019. Adding insult to injury, the overzealous cops had booked Pehlu and his sons on the charge of cattle smuggling; this case was later cancelled on the order of the Rajasthan High Court.
In 2016, the Centre issued an advisory to all states/UTs for taking prompt and strict action against miscreants who flout the law in the name of cow protection. Similar advisories have been issued subsequently. However, cases of violence linked to cow transportation or smuggling are still being reported. The onus is on the law enforcement agencies to ensure that no person involved in the cattle trade, legal or otherwise, is attacked by cow vigilantes. The latter, thriving on political patronage, have been targeting the minority community on the pretext of protecting the revered animal. These self-styled crusaders pose a threat to peace and communal harmony. This calls for a responsible intervention by political and religious leaders; they should condemn any such outrage and seek punishment for the perpetrators.
