Violent punishment by mobs to the suspects of cow slaughter was justified to either a “great” or “some” extent. Close to two in every five respondents –police personnel surveyed across 18 states — (that is a 38% of the total of 8,276 subjects) also believed this, that violent punishment by mobs to “suspects of cow slaughter” was somewhat justified. This is similar to the finding from a previous survey of police personnel published in the Status of Policing in India Report 2019 where a similar question was asked about their support for mob violence in cases of cow slaughter—35 percent of police personnel justified such mob violence (15% “to a large extent” and 20% “to some extent”) (SPIR, 2019). More than a quarter of the police personnel surveyed (see details below), who from IPS-level ranks supported mob violence to a great degree (Figure 2.8, Table 2.8)

These are only some of the worrying findings from a recent study on the ‘Status of Policing in India Report’ (SPIR 2025) conducted by Lokniti, Centre for the Study of Developing Societies in collaboration with Common Cause that read together, shed light on this grim reality. The study, which analysed responses from 8, 276 police personnel across 82 locations in 17 States including Delhi, provides insights into the culture of abuse behind closed doors.

When asked if it is acceptable for the police to use violence against suspects of serious offences for the greater good of society, nearly two out of three police personnel (63%) surveyed, agreed. Of them, 22% strongly agreed and 41% moderately agreed. A notable 35% of the officers opposed the idea. Support for violence against suspected serious offenders remained consistent across ranks.

When surveyors asked policemen and women about torture, a significant number of police personnel expressed strong support for its use in interrogations across various crime categories. The highest support was for cases related to national security, such as terrorism, with 42% strongly backing torture. Over a third (34%) also strongly supported its use in cases of rape, sexual assault, and serious violent crimes such as murder (Table 2.6). Additionally, 28% strongly agreed that torture must be used against history-sheeters.

Mob violence involves targeted acts of violence perpetrated by a large group of individuals who perceive that they are administering punishment to a suspected wrongdoer, bypassing the rule of law entirely. It is very alarming that such a significant proportion of police personnel justify mob violence. For law enforcement officers to support open violence which entails suspension of the law itself, as a means of delivering so- called punishment to a person, is an absolute negation of the constitutional oath they swear to uphold. Similar to the support shown by police respondents to impermissible measures towards crime control, this significant support for mob violence signals police propensities towards violence and unbridled power. Incidents of the police not only overlooking such violence, but their active complicity have been reported on multiple occasions.[1]

Among other key findings in the over 200 page study are that

• One in 10 police personnel believes that couples displaying affection in public places should be detained!!
• More than half of the police personnel believe that hijras/transgenders/ homosexual people are a bad influence on society and the police need to deal with them strictly.

• Police personnel strongly support the use of more preventive arrests of ‘anti-social elements’ (48%) and forming special squads that can detain people indefinitely (43%). Both measures disregard legal standards.
• Twenty-percent of the police personnel feel that it is very important for the police to use tough methods to create fear amongst the public, another 35 percent think it’s somewhat important.
• One in four police personnel strongly justify mob violence in cases of sexual harassment (27%) and child lifting/kidnapping (25%). Across various categories of crime, constabulary and IPS officers are the most likely to justify mob violence, and upper subordinate officers are the least likely to do so. Police personnel from Gujarat showed the highest support, while those from Kerala showed the least support for mob violence.
• Twenty-two percent police personnel feel that the rich and powerful are “naturally prone” to committing crimes to a great extent, and 18 percent feel that Muslims are “naturally prone” to committing crimes to a great
• The survey was conducted across 17 states and UTs. State-level trends mirrored the all- India findings of the highest number of arrests in minor offences, also falling foul of the law. Police personnel in Odisha reported the highest proportion of arrests (46%) for the crimes of theft and extortion, followed by Nagaland (38%) and West Bengal (37%). The data further shows that police respondents from Punjab (60%) reported the most arrests – that is, six in every ten – against the crime of loitering and public nuisance, distantly followed by Nagaland and Maharashtra (29% and 25% respectively)
• The police responses also reveal that the highest proportions of arrests conducted for bodily crimes (such as murder, assault and kidnapping) were reported in Assam (30%), closely followed by Gujarat (28%), Maharashtra (26%) and Jharkhand (26%). Further, as per the survey, police personnel from Uttar Pradesh (UP) reported the highest proportion of arrests (25%) for crimes against women, followed by West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Madhya Pradesh in equal proportions (22% each). In terms of arrests, the official data corresponds with the survey finding that the highest proportion of arrests for crimes against women was made in UP (1,01,754, as per Crime in India 2022).
• Almost half of the police respondents believed that mob violence was justified to either “a great extent” or “some extent” in the cases of sexual harassment and assault (49%), child lifting or kidnapping (47%) and petty theft like pick-pocketing or chain-snatching (46%).

As was evident in studies conducted in previous years, anti-Muslim bias is high among police personnel with the corresponding disregard for due process and justification for mob violence. In keeping with attitudes towards contempt for due process (preventive detention, procedure during arrests), coercion (torture, a large section of policemen and the officers of law enforcement agencies appear to have communal bias in their perception about Muslims, who they believe are “naturally prone” towards committing crime to a great extent. This is yet another finding of the “Status of Policing in India Report-2025” (SPIR), released in New Delhi recently, which has pointed to a clear display of prejudices among the police personnel.

In this extensive survey and analysis, the SPIR-2025 has explored the nature, causes and factors that contribute to the perpetuation of police violence and torture in the country. It seeks to understand the police’s attitudes towards torture and the normalisation of its use and includes the perspectives and experiences of other accountability actors, such as doctors, lawyers, and judges.

Previous studies may be read here and here.

In the study, a large number of police personnel in Delhi, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Gujarat believe that Muslims have been analysed as naturally prone towards committing crime to a great extent. One in every five (19%) among the Hindu police personnel feels that to a “great extent”, Muslims are naturally prone to commit crimes, while one-thirds (34%) feel the same to “some extent”, while Sikh police officers were least likely to hold this opinion.

Out of the surveyed states, more than two-thirds of the police personnel in the states of Rajasthan (70%), Maharashtra (68%), Madhya Pradesh (68%), West Bengal (68%), Gujarat (67%) and Jharkhand (66%) held the opinion that the Muslim community is likely to be naturally inclined to committing crime to either a “great” or “some” extent. Police personnel from Delhi (39%) were most likely to believe that Muslims are naturally prone to committing crimes, followed closely by Rajasthan (35%), Maharashtra (34%) and Gujarat (34%).

The study also found that caste, religion, and political affiliation often play a decisive role in shaping the outlook of the police perception and influencing their actions. This bias not only shapes initial interactions but can also affect decisions on investigation, enforcement, and legal proceedings. The report according to the parameters of the study published in the report, surveyed a broad spectrum of law enforcement personnel, including constables, upper subordinate officers ranging from assistant sub-inspectors to deputy superintendents of police, and senior officials from the Indian Police Service (IPS).

The SPIR-2025 pointed out that Muslims are identified as one of the marginalised communities which are common targets of torture. Academic scholarship cited in the report suggested that torture tactics employed by the police against Muslim men suspected of terrorism deliberately target their religious identity and masculinity to humiliate the entire community.

Police respondents in states with harsh cow slaughter laws, such as Gujarat, Odisha, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra, showed high support for mob punishment in such cases. Besides, despite a significant proportion of police personnel believing that Muslims are predisposed to crime, a considerable percentage also perceive that Muslims are likely to get justice to a “great extent”.

Meanwhile however, the study also cautions that these are the police’s perceptions, which may be marred by pre-existing biases and could be contrary to the lived realities of Muslims. Independent analysis of prison statistics indicates the over-incarceration of Muslims, suggesting potential biases within the criminal justice system.

Disregard for due process

The report also highlights a significant disregard for the rule of law among a notable section of the police. Nearly one-third (28%) of police personnel believe the criminal justice system is too weak and slow, with a preference for extrajudicial measures over due process. Alarmingly, almost two out of five (38%) feel that for minor offences, police should give minor punishment instead of following legal trials.

One in four police personnel strongly justified mob violence in cases of sexual harassment (27%) and child lifting or kidnapping (25%). This suggests that about a fourth of India’s police personnel support the idea of the mobs acting as the judge, jury and executioner in matters they consider grave.

Across various categories of crime, constabulary and IPS officers are the most likely to justify mob violence, and upper subordinate officers are the least likely to do so. Police personnel from Gujarat showed the highest support, while those from Kerala showed the least support for mob violence.

Ignorance, lack of compliance for legal procedures

There also appeared to be a lack of compliance towards arrest procedures across states, according to the study. Only 41% of police personnel said these procedures were “always followed”, while 21% admitted to “rarely” or “never” complying with them. Karnataka fared the worst, with a staggering 70% of its officials acknowledging they “rarely” or “never” follow prescribed procedures, while Kerala police demonstrated the highest compliance, with 94% of officials adhering to proper arrest protocols.

Gujarat: high bias against marginalised

In Gujarat, police exhibited the highest level of bias in their perception of Dalits and Adivasis, who they believed were “naturally inclined to commit crimes”. Among its personnel, 68% hold this view about Dalits, while 56% believe the same about Adivasis. Among Delhi’s police, which comes under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Home Affairs, a worrying 62% believe that Muslims are more “naturally inclined” towards crime.

About 30% of police personnel said that ‘third-degree methods’ are justified towards the accused in serious criminal cases, while 9% said they are justified in petty offences. IPS officers and those respondents who often conduct interrogations are the most likely to justify the use of third-degree methods. Besides, 11% of the police personnel feel that hitting or slapping family members of the accused is absolutely justified, and 30% said that it is sometimes justified.

Interviewees said that the victims of torture are mainly people from poor and marginalised communities. A lawyer described it as “all the faceless and voiceless” are targeted. The following groups are the common targets of torture: Muslims, Dalits, Adivasis, people who cannot read and write, and slum dwellers.

The report concluded with a strong call for strengthening institutional safeguards and fostering a greater commitment to the rule of law within the police force. It recommended more active engagement and interaction between Judicial Magistrates and arrested persons, along with ensuring medical examinations during custody. The study also underscored the urgent need for more comprehensive and consistent data collection on police torture and custodial violence.

How the police view and even justify custodial torture

Police personnel were also asked how justified is the use of certain coercive and violent acts towards the accused so that criminal cases can be solved. The data reveals a troubling acceptance of coercive tactics, ranging from verbal abuse and threats to slapping and third-degree methods. Nearly

Almost half (49%) said that verbally abusing or threatening suspects in cases of minor offences such as theft is justified, with 32% endorsing slapping and 9% even supporting the use of third-degree methods. Support for such violent methods increased dramatically in cases of serious crimes. Three in ten (30%) police personnel justified third-degree methods in cases such as rape and murder, while half (50%) approved of slapping suspects and more than half (55%) endorsed verbal abuse or threats.

Threats and slapping or using light force are common. About a quarter (26%) of police personnel said that suspects are threatened often, while 34% said that this happens sometimes. Similarly, nearly two in 10 (18%) said that slapping or using light force is common, with 28% saying it happens occasionally.

Regarding third-degree methods, one in 10 police personnel admitted that such extreme violence occurs often, and 16% said it happens sometimes. Additionally, one in three respondents reported that investigating officers frequently use coercive tactics.

The findings reveal that close to half, that is nearly four in 10 police personnel believe that reporting of custodial torture should be mandatory, while a similar proportion supported it being mandatory in some cases. Around one in 10 felt it should never be mandatory. While a majority supported mandatory reporting, the fact that the largest group favoured it only ‘sometimes’ suggests a level of hesitation or conditional acceptance. The data also shows that officers at the police station level favour mandatory reporting more than their senior counterparts.

When asked if junior police personnel would feel comfortable fi ling a complaint against their seniors for the use of violence, provided legal protection, over four in 10 of police respondents strongly agreed, while 36% agreed moderately.

Seventy percent of police personnel who have a high propensity to justify torture also believe that training on the prevention of torture is very important. (Table 6.8)

The entire report may be read here

Sabrangindia and Communalism Combat before that, have been assiduously analysing and campaigning around the issue of both representation of Indian Muslims in the police force and administration and also the attitudes of men in uniform Vis a Vis India’s largest minority.

An introduction to the Justice BN Srikrishna Commission Report into the Bombay 1992-1993 brute anti-minority pogrom published an introduction by journalist, educationist and activist, Teesta Setalvad. She has researched the various judicial commission reports into anti-minority violence. This section. Anti-Minority Bias in the Police Force may be read here. Ex-IPS officer, KS Subramanian’s essay ‘Babri Masjid 1992 – Gujarat 2002 – Kashmir 2016: How the Sangh Parivar has wrecked India’s secular social fabric by sustained anti-minority violence’ may be read here.

In February 1995, in the cover story of Communalism Combat (www.sabrang.com) Vibhuti Narain Rai gave an interview that turned the searchlight within, on the Indian Police Force. Setalvad had met him at the National PoliceAcademy where I had been asked to become part of a training given my work in the post Babri-Masjid demolition Bombay violence. In this explosive interview he had argued, cogently and with statistics about the deep-rooted bias within the Indian police. “No riot can continue for more than 24 hours unless the state wants it to continue,” he had said in an interview, that, after it appeared in the February 1995 issue of Communalism Combat was reproduced by 35 Indian publications in different languages. This seminal interview may be read here.

This poor representation of various sections of India’s marginalised, make it almost impossible for the social issues and crimes most plaguing the country today, to be taken seriously by the police. In fact, one witnesses that in many instances the police collude with the majoritarian community, namely Upper caste class Hindu male to perpetuate even more violence on those who are already persecuted.

Though some progressive judgments such as the one in which the SC upholds Karnataka law on Reservations in Promotions for Govt. employees provide a glimmer of hope, the implementation on the ground remains questionable.

[1] See civil society reports on mob lynching that document police apathy and complicity in cases (Citizens Against Hate, 2018 and Human Rights Watch, 2019).

Related:

Anti–minority bias in the Indian Police
Mayhem in Malegaon: A fact-finding team of human rights activists and lawyers that visited riot-hit Malegaon returns with disturbing evidence of a “complete communal-isation of the police and paramilitary forces”
Local Jharkand Police Used Communal Slogans: NCM on Latehar Hangings
Controversy: DIG claims he never said ‘Muslims follow religion of terrorists’

The post Mob violence, police torture justifiable practices feel a significant section of India’s police: Study appeared first on SabrangIndia.

This took place on the morning of June 18th, a crowd of 50-100 people from the Bajrang Dal gathered near Sham Masjid, close to the Police Chowki, upon hearing about the incident. The local MLA Geeta Jain, former MLA Narendra Mehta and Shiva Sena (Eknath Shinde) Corporator, Vikram Singh were also present at the scene.

The crowd surrounded the truck chanting Jai Sri Ram slogans, remained until the police intervened to calm the situation. As per reports, an FIR has been filed in relation to the case of cow slaughter, and the meat has been sent for forensic examination. Three people have been taken into custody.

Sadiq Basha, an activist, spoke to Sabrang India about the incident, narrated, “Around 10:30 or 11 am in the morning, I got a call from Naya Nagar that some truck has been reportedly caught with cow meat. I learned that around 50-100 people from Bajrang Dal had surrounded the truck at Sham Masjid, which is located near the local police chowki.” Sadiq narrates that BJP’s local MLA Geeta Jain and ex MLA Narendra Mehta were also present there as slogans of Jai Sri Ram were given. However, the police had calmed the situation and prevented anything further from happening.

Video | Tension at Naya Nagar in Mira Road over a tempo allegedly carrying Cow’s meat | 3 persons taken into custody & meat sent for forensic examination, DCP Gaikwad said. Report by City News Mumbai. pic.twitter.com/0MUTxzTxDO

— MUMBAI NEWS (@Mumbaikhabar9) June 19, 2024

Vikram Pratap Singh, who is a local Corporator of the Shiva Sena (Eknath Shinde faction), spoke to Mira Bhayandar Live, a local news channel, as the mob shouted slogans, saying “Yeh desh Rashtrawadi, Hinduwadi, Sanatan Dharmwadio ka sarkar hai yahan per, yeh sabh nahi chalega.” This country belongs to nationalists, Hindus, Sanatan Dharmis, this won’t work here.

In January, 2023, Mira Road locality of Mumbai had seen a continued violence which saw homes and vehicles of local Muslims were burned and vandalised by a Hindutva mob. This incident had occured when the country was seeing a rise in mob violence against Muslims in the wake of the inauguration of the Ayodhya Temple in Faizabad, UP. The incident at Mira Road then too had seen the incendiary participation of BJP MLAs Geeta Jain and Nitish Rane. Jain were seen leading a mob.

Several incidents of violence against Muslims, involving allegations of cow slaughter, have been reported across the country. In a recent incident in Himachal Pradesh, The Observer Post reported that a Muslim-owned textile shop in Nahan was looted and vandalised by a large mob after the shopkeeper had shared a picture of an animal sacrifice on his WhatsApp status.

Please embed: https://x.com/TheObserverPost/status/1803361865235673412

A video of the incident shows the mob destroying and throwing out the contents of the shop as a crowd cheers under police presence. Police however took steps and managed to close the shop’s shutters to prevent more damage. After this, the crowd marched to the district collector’s office, chanting slogans such as “Goli maaro saalon ko” and “Jai Shri Ram.”

Related:

Four days after BJP government sworn in, Odisha witnesses communal violence, internet ban imposed, journalists barred from reporting

Mira Road: Muslim youth allegedly beaten in custody, denied food as Nitesh Rane tells supporters, “The Government is with you.”

Eve of Ram temple inauguration sees “clashes”, planting of saffron flag atop Church

How and why the Ram Temple is just a political tool for the BJP

Vigilante violence against Muslims continues without rest

The post Tension flare as mob alleges cow slaughter in Mumbai, Himachal Pradesh too witnesses similar mob action appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Both were from Moradabad, and were travelling in a car when the police attempted to pull them over. The situation became volatile when the driver evaded the police according to news reports, leading to the driver losing control, and causing the vehicle to overturn in a field along the roadside. Following this, reports suggest that the two men emerged from the overturned car and allegedly opened fire on the police officers. In response, the police returned fire, which resulted in both men sustaining gunshot wounds. While Sajid is now dead, Babloo is recovering from a bullet injury to his leg and is receiving medical treatment. The police claim to have recovered a car, two country made weapons, cartridges, an electronic weighing machine, and tools used for slaughtering from the scene.

A case has been reportedly filed against the accused under the provisions of IPC Section 307, pertaining to attempted murder, and the Arms Act. The Indian Express has reported that as per authorities, this area has witnessed multiple instances of cow slaughter.

A similar incident was reported by Sabrang India from September, where a young Muslim man hailing from Shahjahanpur in Uttar Pradesh, was shot dead by the police while being transported to a local court. According to the UP Police, they assert that the shooting occurred in self-defence as the suspect allegedly attempted to escape custody and open fire on the police.

Official government data by Uttar Pradesh had revealed earlier this year a total of 10,713 encounters have taken place in the state since 2017. Among these staggering records of custodial deaths, the Meerut Police stands out with the highest count, conducting 3,152 encounters, resulting in the death of 63 criminals and the arrest of 1,708 individuals. Agra Police follows closely behind, having committed 1,844 encounters. Within these encounters, 14 criminals were killed and 4,654 were arrested, about 55 police personnel sustained injuries, as communicated in an official press release from the Uttar Pradesh government.

Furthermore, in 2020, the National Campaign against Torture (NCAT) released its report titled India: Annual Report on Torture 2019 recording the reported instances of custodial torture and violence. The report stipulated that a staggering 1,731 individuals were dead in custody in 2019, which can be summed up to amounting to about five deaths daily. About 1,606 deaths occurred in judicial custody and 125 in police custody. The report further noted with gravity that these figures only barely scratch the surface of the true number and extent pof custodial death and torture in the country.

According to Muslim Mirror, Paritosh Chakma, Director of NCAT noted that out of the 125 deaths in police custody, 60% of the victims were from impoverished and marginalised communities. This group of 60% included 13 victims from Dalit and tribal communities, and 15 from the Muslim minority community. Not only that, there were about 37 fatal victims who were detained for minor offences such as theft, burglary, cheating, illegal liquor selling, and gambling, indicating a correlation with their economic status.

The report noted that Uttar Pradesh was the state with the highest number of police custody deaths, followed by Tamil Nadu and Punjab.

Related:

Police shoot dead a Muslim man in custody

Death behind bars: Justice through the Indian Courts as cases spiral

Hyderabad: Muslim man allegedly subjected to custodial torture on “suspicion of theft” for 5 days, dies in hospital

RSS organises route marches in TN, SC directs state govt to submit guidelines to regulate marches in future

The post Muslim youth shot dead by police for alleged intentions of slaughtering a cow appeared first on SabrangIndia.

The counsel for the applicant submitted that there is no allegation of slaughter against him and that he was not apprehended from the spot. In fact, six cows were recovered from a vehicle and there was no evidence to link the applicant with the crime. The State did not dispute the facts as presented by the applicant’s counsel.

The court noted that the State failed to show any material that indicates that the applicant slaughtered any cow.

“The alleged act cannot be stated to come within the ambit of section 2(d) of U.P. Act No. 1 of 1956. There is no independent witness of the recovery. Mere possession of live cow/bullock by itself cannot amount to committing, abetting, or attempting an offence under the Act No. 1 of 1956,” the court held.

The court further held that mere transportation of the cow from one place to another does not amount to committing, abetting or attempting to commit an offence under the U.P. Prevention of Cow Slaughter Act. The court held that the State has not provided any material to show that any physical injury has been caused to the cow. Keeping the Principle ‘Bail is rule and jail is exception,’ the court decided to grant bail to the accused.

The order may be read here:

In the past as well there have been many instances of misuse of the law which the court has at times tried to rectify. The gruesome murders that have taken place in the name of protecting cows and accusing the deceased of cow slaughter are too many to name. The misuse of the law is quite rampant and it is the courts that need to step in to put a stop to such abuse of law.

On April 12, Agra Police arrested four members of All India Hindu Mahasabha, including its spokesperson Sanjay Singh, for getting an FIR registered against four Muslim men on false cow slaughtering charges on the eve of Ram Navami on March 30. On March 29, the eve of Ram Navami (March 30), Jitendra Kumar, a Hindu Mahasabha leader, filed a complaint alleging he had received information that Rizwan, alias Kalta that three others, were slaughtering a cow in a thicket near Gautam Nagar and were planning to sell the meat. On the basis of this, an FIR was filed and it was later found that the Hindu Mahasabha members butchered cows in order to instigate communal violence during the Ram Navami parade.

On March 28, Allahabad High Court asked DGP, Uttar Pradesh to remind police officers to conduct fair investigation especially in cases pertaining to cow slaughter. The court observed, “it is evident that in the instant case neither any prohibited animal or his flesh has been recovered and simply on the basis of apprehension and suspicion the First Information Report appears to have been lodged and the charge sheet has also been filed.” The court also noted that only cow dung was recovered from the spot which the forensics lab refused to examine.

In August last year as well, the Allahabad High Court observed that mere transportation of a cow and its progeny within the state of Uttar Pradesh is not a violation of any of the provisions of the UP Prevention of Cow Slaughter Act.

Related:

Rajasthan: 2 Muslim men allegedly kidnapped and burnt to death; FIR against Bajrang Dal members

No Permit required for transportation of cow, its progeny within Uttar Pradesh: Allahabad High Court

Two Men stripped on camera, paraded & whipped for allegedly selling beef

Bulandshahr mob-lynching case: SC stays bail granted by Allahabad HC to prime accused Yogeshraj

The post Allahabad HC points out misuse of cow slaughter law appeared first on SabrangIndia.

The accused, Jugadi @Nizamuddin was booked under section 3,5 and 8 of the Prevention of Cow Slaughter Act in Case Crime No. 310/2022, at Reusa Police Station, Sitapur district. The counsel for the applicant, Dharmendra Kumar Gupta, submitted that it was a case of false implication. There are three accused in the case. The Village Chiukidar of the Police station got the information that a prohibited animal had been slaughtered in the sugarcane field of one Jamil and when he arrived at the spot he found a cord and semi digested gobar (cow dung) of the calf. It was also submitted that the police did not recover any prohibited animal or any meat and had only found cow dung. The forensics lab told the police that the lab cannot examine cow dung.

The court was informed that he was earlier granted interim protection which he did not misuse and he also undertook that he will remain present before the trial court whenever required.

The court observed, “it is evident that in the instant case neither any prohibited animal or his flesh has been recovered and simply on the basis of apprehension and suspicion the First Information Report appears to have been lodged and the charge sheet has also been filed.” The court also noted that only cow dung was recovered from the spot which the forensics lab refused to examine.

The court thus granted the applicant pre-arrest bail in terms that in the vent of his arrest within 20 days or on his surrender/ appearance before the trial court, where the case is pending, whichever is earlier, he shall be released forthwith on his executing a personal bond to the tune of Rs.50,000/- with two sureties in the like amount, while also imposing certain conditions.

While concluding the order, the court also made a serious observation:

“Before parting it is observed that instant case is an glaring example of misuse of penal law as neither the prohibited animal nor its flesh, has been recovered from the possession of any accused person or from the spot and only a rope and some amount of cow dung has been collected by the Investigating Officer and there are statement of some witnesses who have claimed to have seen the accused persons going towards the sugarcane field of Jamil along with a calf. Keeping cows and calves as pet animals is a common practice in the villages irrespective of caste, creed and religion. The duty of the State is to ensure fair investigation which in the considered opinion of this Court has not been done in the instant case.”

The court also directed that a copy of this order be sent to DGP, Uttar Pradesh for “taking necessary action in order to remind the investigating officers of their duty to ensure fair investigation in all the criminal cases in general and in the cases pertaining to cow slaughter in particular.”

The order may be read here:

Related:

Cow vigilantism is an extortion bid say Haryana farmers

The poster boy of cow vigilantism, Monu Manesar, is back

Karnataka’s Shame: Cattle trader, a Muslim, beaten to death by cow vigilantes

Haryana: More cow vigilantism incidents were reported in April, state district-level special committees fail to act

The post Allahabad HC calls out misuse of law in cow slaughter case as only cow dung recovered from scene appeared first on SabrangIndia.

The Agra police on Wednesday, April 12, arrested four members of All India Hindu Mahasabha, including its spokesperson Sanjay Singh, for getting an FIR registered against four Muslim men on false cow slaughtering charges on the eve of Ram Navami on March 30.

Only last week, the police arrested Imran Qureshi alias Thakur and Shanu alias Illi, both Muslims, who were also allegedly involved in framing the four Muslim men. “The four persons – Sanjay Singh alias Sanjay Jat, Jitendra Kushwaha, Brijesh Bhadouria and Saurabh Sharma – have been arrested on the basis of evidence we have collected against them,” Agra Assistant Commissioner of Police RK Singh said.

Following these four arrests, police are now looking for the remaining three accused, all Muslims. According to investigations so far, it was the five accused Muslim men had enmity with the four named in the false cow slaughter FIR.

On March 29, the eve of Ram Navami (March 30), Jitendra Kumar, a Hindu Mahasabha leader, filed a complaint alleging he had received information that Rizwan, alias Kalta that three others, including Nakeem, an Agra Municipal Corporation employee, and his brothers Vijju, alias Chottu and Shanu were slaughtering a cow in a thicket near Gautam Nagar and were planning to sell the meat. Kumar told the police that he rushed to the spot with his friends, but by then the accused had fled.

It was on the basis of this Kumar’s false complaint, an FIR was lodged against Rizwan and three others at the Etmaddulah police station under the UP Prevention of Cow Slaughter Act. At the spot, the police allegedly found cow meat, however, according to police, they found that the four men named in the FIR were not present at the spot. The final conclusion that the complaint was false was arrived at n on the basis of human intelligence, surveillance, CCTV footage and other evidence added the police.

On April 6, police arrested Qureshi and Illi, both residents of Agra for questioning. During the process, Qureshi and Illi, say the police, admitted to the conspiracy of framing the four Muslim men as Nakeem had complained to the police about them in the past, following which they were arrested.

Meanwhile, predictably, the All India Hindu Mahasabha state unit president Rishi Trivedi has said their leaders were being falsely implicated. “They (Mahasabha leaders) had informed police about cow slaughtering and reached the spot before police. Now, police have booked them in the case. It appears to be part of a conspiracy. Sanjay and others booked in the case were reaching the state capital, Lucknow, on Thursday to hold a press conference on this issue, but the police arrested them today,” said Trivedi stated The Indian Express.

Related:

Hindu Mahasabha Members Arrested for Allegedly Slaughtering Cow to Incite Communal Violence in Agra During Ram Navami Parade

The post In false cow slaughter cases, four Hindu Mahasabha members held: UP Police appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Since the start of April 2023, rising incidents have been reported from the state of Haryana where Cow vigilantes or members of extremist Hindutva outfits, such as Bajrang Dal, have assaulted drivers of the trucks transporting cattle. In most of these cases, the drivers of these trucks belonged to the Muslim community. Cow vigilantism, or Hindu-tva mob violence against Muslims who transport or slaughter cows, has becoming dangerously commonplace in the new India, especially in northern India. Despite there being an alarming spike in such violence, the union government still does not collect official statistics on the number of such crimes reported nationally. 

In April, 3 such incidents were reported from the state of Haryana. On April 1, in Panipat, Haryana, a mob of cow vigilantes allegedly assault two truck drivers for transporting cattle. A video had been uploaded where the two victims of assault were seem sitting on the road, while a mob was standing around them, raising slogans of stopping the slaughter of cows. The mob also raised the slogans of how they will not stop till the time cow slaughter is stopped. Even though the faces of the members of the mob are visible, it remains unclear if any action was taken. 

The video can be viewed here: 

Location: Panipat, Haryana

Cow vigilantes assault two truck drivers for transporting cattle. pic.twitter.com/8raCl52Uwt — HindutvaWatch (@HindutvaWatchIn) April 1, 2023

Another incident, dated April 9, was reported from Haryana where members of the Bajrang Dal led cow vigilante group had a high-speed chase to stop a truck that was transporting cattle. It has been alleged that the vigilante group assaulted the drivers too. Pictures of the truck drivers and burst tires of the said truck were uploaded on social media, along with a picture of the cow vigilante mob standing along with the truck. The post can be viewed here: 

Location: Haryana

Bajrang Dal led cow vigilante group led a high-speed chase to stop a truck that was transporting cattle and assaulted its drivers. pic.twitter.com/W4OaeVWfIj — HindutvaWatch (@HindutvaWatchIn) April 9, 2023

In a separate incident, dated April 11, reported from K.M.P Expressway, Haryana, various Cow vigilante militias, including Bajrang Dal members, brutally thrashed a Muslim driver for transporting cattle. A picture of the Muslim driver, wearing a blood stained t-shirt, along with a picture of the big mob of approximately 20-30 members standing with the truck was uploaded on the social media. The post can be viewed here: 

This is from #KMPExpressway, #Haryana.

Various Cow vigilante militias, including #BajrangDal members, brutally thrashed a #Muslim driver for transporting cattle.#HateCrime pic.twitter.com/QJaSg9qsJ7 — Hate Detector ? (@HateDetectors) April 11, 2023

In another picture, uploaded on the same day, three police officers can be seen posing for pictures with the members of cow vigilante militia who assaulted the driver. The post can be viewed here: 

Police officers posing for pictures with the members of cow vigilante militia who assaulted the driver.#Haryana #HaryanaPolice #HateCrime pic.twitter.com/Lv9TvzKt3d

— Hate Detector ? (@HateDetectors) April 11, 2023

It is shocking that such incidents of assault have been reported even after Haryana directed districts to form a special committee mandated by state law for cow protection in March 2023 to crack down on private vigilante groups. It is important to note that in all of these incidents, the mob has quite readily posted pictures of themselves with the trucks, in open impunity and defiance. It is important to note that the Hindustan Times reported on March 11, days after the deaths of two Muslim men from Rajasthan in the state sparked outrage, that the lack of such committees is one of several factors allowing vigilantism to thrive, which has resulted in groups targeting people in the name of cow smuggling, often leaving victims severely injured or even dead. The family of the two Muslim men from Rajasthan’s Bharatpur, Junaid and Nasir, who were found dead in a car in Haryana’s Bhiwani, on February 15, had accused the Bajrang Dal and a “gau rakshak” (cow protection) gang led by Mohit Yadav, who also goes by the name Monu Manesar and was said to be active in the area. A trend, unchecked by men and women in powerful positions of constitutional governance, appears to be sweeping across large parts of the country. In incident after incident, the transportation of cattle, the suspicion of possessing or consuming beef, or the transportation or possession of cattle carcasses has been enough provocation for a lynch mob to appear out of nowhere and inflict heinous violence. Those accused of these provocations, who are almost always Muslims or Dalits, have been subjected to the most brute violence. Despite the fact that the death toll in these incidents is already high—with figures touching double digits and rising, no concrete action is being taken. Image Courtesy: outlookindia.com

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The post Haryana: More cow vigilantism incidents were reported in April, state district-level special committees fail to act appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Uttar Pradesh Police on Saturday stated that some members of the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha butchered cows in order to instigate communal violence during the Ram Navami parade in Agra.

On the eve of Ram Navami, Agra Police arrested four youngsters suspected of cow killing. During a raid during Ram Navami celebrations in Gautam Nagar in the Etmaduddaula region of Agra, the youngsters were apprehended.

According to the police, Sanjay Jat, the Hindu Mahasabha’s national spokesperson, is the chief conspirator. Many others are also reported to be part of the plot. A man named Jitendra Kushwaha reported the cow slaughter at Etmaduddaula police station.

According to DCP Suraj Rai, several facts came to light during the police inquiry. The police arrested two people identified in the FIR: Imran alias Thakur and Shanu.

Shanu informed police that he arrived at Mehtab Bagh at 8 p.m. on March 29 and encountered Imran, Salman, and Sairo. They then decided to slaughter a cow that was wandering about in the street. That’s when Shanu and Imran went to inform Jitendra Kushwaha.

“(Mahasabha leader) Sanjay Jat is the main conspirator. His followers and friends slaughtered a cow in the Mehtab Bagh area on the night of March 29 and told party member Jitendra Kushwaha to file a case against Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Nakim and Mohammad Shanu. The police arrested Imran Qureshi, a fourth suspect, and Shanu the next day. Later, the investigation revealed that the named accused had nothing to do with the crime. An inquiry suggests that Sanjay had an enmity with some people and wanted to implicate them in the case,” The Telegraph quoted R.K. Singh, additional commissioner of police of the Chatta area of Agra, as saying.

“The cow was slaughtered on the eve of Ram Navami to disturb social harmony. We had unconfirmed reports about such an incident but got conclusive evidence when they tried to implicate some innocent people,” another cop said.

Some Hindu Mahasabha workers complained about Jitendra Kushwaha and Sanjay Jat, claiming that they personally had the cow slain in order to disrupt Agra’s communal peace on Ram Navami.

Courtesy: The Daily Siasat

The post Hindu Mahasabha Members Arrested for Allegedly Slaughtering Cow to Incite Communal Violence in Agra During Ram Navami Parade appeared first on SabrangIndia.

A Court in Gujarat’s Tapi District recently sentenced a 22-year-old man to life imprisonment for illegally transporting cattle from the state of Maharashtra. While pronouncing his sentence, the Sessions Judge S. V. Vyas said that all problems of the earth will be solved and the well-being of the earth will be established the day no drop of blood of cow drops on the earth, reported LiveLaw. Presiding over the District Court, Tapi, Judge Vyas further added that religion is born out of a cow as religion is in the form of ‘Vrishabha’ (bull), and the son of a cow is called ‘Vrishabha’.

Also reporting this case, The Indian Express, further provided that the Sessions court judge stressed on the need to protect cows all over the country, saying “science has proved houses made of cow dung remain unaffected by atomic radiation”. He had also observed that cow’s urine can cure many incurable diseases. This judgment was pronounced in November while the order has made available recently. The judge in his order had expressed displeasure over slaughtering of cows and noted a cow is “our mother”, not just an animal.

The Court also cited a Sanskrit shloka that asserts that if cows become extinct, the universe will cease to exist, and that cows, including their six organs, are responsible for the origin of the Vedas. To emphasize that killing cows is prohibited, the Court alluded to two further Shlokas that can be roughly translated as follows:

“Where cows remain happy all wealth and property is gained. Where cows remain unhappy wealth and property remains unhappy and disappear…Cow is the mother of Rudra, daughter of Vasu, sister of Aditiputras and treasure of Dhrutroop Amrit.”

Commenting sharply on the slaughter of the animals, the Court also stated that cow murder and illegal transit are a disgrace to civilized society, and that the cow is not just an animal, but also the mother and that is why it is given the mother’s name. The judge went further and said that a cow is repository of compassion, a‘living planet of 68 crore holy places and thirty-three crore gods.”  According to the judge, a cow’s commitment to the entire Universe transcends description. When there is no drop of cow blood in the world, all issues will be solved and the earth’s well-being will be established. The judge also reportedly lamented that while there is a lot of rhetoric about cow protection and cow rearing, but it is rarely put into practice.

The Court concluded that the prosecution had been able to prove that the accused was driving the vehicle at the time of the incident, from which Cows and their offspring were recovered, and that there was no reason for the police to falsely implicate the accused in the case after reviewing the evidence presented. The Court also ruled that the prosecution had been able to establish that the accused lacked a certificate from a competent authority or written permission to transport livestock, thus the court had to assume that the accused was transporting cattle for slaughter.

After the trial, the Sessions court found him guilty under relevant sections of the Gujarat Animal Preservation Act, 2011, Gujarat Animal Preservation (Amendment) Act, 2017, and Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. The Court further stated in its 24-page ruling, written in Gujarati, that in the current scenario, 75% of the cow’s wealth has been lost or destroyed, leaving only 25% of its wealth.

The Accused has been held guilty under Sections 5, 6, 7 of the Gujarat Animal Preservation Act, 2011, Section-11 (1) (d),(e), (f),(h) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960, Section 2 of Gujarat Control of Animal Transportation Order, 1975 and Section 4 of Gujarat Essential Commodities And Animal Control Act, 2015 as well as section-125 (e) of Central Motor Vehicle (11th Amendment)Act,2015 and he has been sentenced to imprisonment for life along with a fine of Rs. 5 lakhs.

In 2017, the state government had introduced a stringent anti-cow slaughter law in the form of the ‘Gujarat Animal Preservation (Amendment) Act, 2017’, which has the provision for life term for anyone found guilty of cow slaughter or having any direct involvement in such illegal act. Through this new law, the maximum punishment for cow slaughter was prescribed as life term or 14 years, but not less than seven years. Along with the jail term, anyone convicted of cow slaughter have to pay a fine ranging from Rs1 lakh to Rs5 lakh.

Brief background of present case

In August 2020, the Tapi police arrested Mohammad Aamin Anjum, a resident of Maharashtra’s Malegaon town, for allegedly trying to transport 16 cows and bullocks in a truck to Gujarat. When the police had intercepted the truck, a cow and a bullock were already dead as there was not enough space or food in the vehicle for the cattle. Anjum had fled the spot after abandoning his truck, but he was later nabbed.

He was booked, inter alia, under the Gujarat Animal Preservation (Amendment) Act, 2011, Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, the Gujarat Essential Commodities and Cattle (Control) Act, 2005 as well as the Central Motor Vehicles (Eleventh Amendment) Rules, 2015.

The judgment can be viewed here.

Portals and newspapers have reported on this November 2022 order by a Tapi court. It pertains to a case of one Mohammad Ameen, who was arrested in August 2020 for transporting 16 cows, allegedly without proper arrangement for the animals to sit, eat or drink. In addition to the life imprisonment and what Bar and Bench calls ‘several lesser punishments,’ Ameen was also fined Rs 5 lakh by the court.

Politics of Cow Slaughter Laws and its Misuse

India is a country with myriad number of legislations in place to govern its citizens. As society is progressing, laws fitting to the needs of the society are being brought in with the aim of keeping up with the dynamic needs of the people. These laws also contain with them such procedures and burden of proofs that ensure that the rights of the accused are maintained and protected till they are proven guilty. Even for the crime of murder and rape, the burden of proof is on the State, and the fundamental principle of natural justice is followed- the accused remains innocent until proven guilty.

In the recent times, this principle has been reversed. With more and more weaponisedand discriminatory laws, such as the Cow slaughter laws and the anti-conversion laws, being introduced, it is no exaggeration to say that nobody fully understands these laws now.

In the case of India’s cow slaughter laws, it is pertinent to note that there is no constitutional mandate to prohibit beef consumption, not on its transportation, sale or purchase in India. Yet, stringent laws are being introduced in many states and minorities, to target most especially livelihood options of Muslims and Dalits.

Since states are enacting their own laws, there is a lack of uniformity amongst the legislations, with laws ranging from a complete prohibition in some states, to no ban in others, and partial restrictions in others. Some states prohibit the consumption of beef, while others do not. There are slaughter bans on some bovine species but not others, on some cattle of a certain age but not others, on some cattle of a certain gender but not the rest. There are limits on beef possession in certain states and no clarity in others, as well as transport bans in some regions and regulations on time, temperature, and carrying conditions in others. None of it makes a coherent kind of jurisprudence, making it easier for the judgements that often seem irrational to be delivered.

This is not the first time that the Gujarat sessions court has given a judgement where there is a clear misuse of law as well as complete ignorance of the legislative procedures and cross-checks set under the principles of natural justice. The state of Gujarat is determined to put these twisted laws into action. Before we look at previous judgements on the same lines, Sabrangindia’s special investigation into the ‘missing cows and bullocks in Gujarat’ tells its own story. In August 2020, a two part investigation titled, The Missing Cows of Gujarat detailed ‘How Cow Protection Laws have failed to protect the animal in the state. The article pertinently noted that,

“Gujarat’s farmers, hindered by an unrealistic legislation steeped in rhetoric and a dishonest objective, are illegally culling and disposing off the bovine animals: a close scrutiny of the 2012 Livestock Census data figures on breeding cows and female calves, the expected population are revealing: whereas in 2019 the figures of cows in the state should have been 114.04 lakhs, in reality only 76.26 lakhs cows were reported in the census.  The data shows that around 37.78 lakh cows went missing during the period, which means these were illegally culled and disposed of by the farmers.   The missing cow phenomenon was not a one-time aberration but consistent.” 

The second part, Part II: Disappearing Bullocks, Missing Cows, how Gujarat’s Farmers dodge an impracticable Cow Protection Law analyses how, among other aspects,

“How even the Supreme Court’s endorsement of a stringent amendment to the Gujarat Cattle Preservation Act in 2005, has failed to protect either bullocks, male calves or cows, never mind the political rhetoric behind the law. he disappearance of Gujarat’s cows in the past seventy years was detailed in the first part of this Investigation. Part II of this exclusive data-driven study reveals that during the census period 2012-2019, around 56.42 lakh males (bullocks) were culled and eliminated from the population illegally, which included 25.27 lakh native breed plus 31.15 lakhs crossbred males. Considering the 37.8 lakhs missing cows described in the earlier article, the Gujarat state, which claims to be a serious protector of cow progeny, failed to save 94.22 lakhs cattle with an average elimination rate of one lakh cattle every month. Is  the state not aware of this persistent culling that has resulted in these ‘disappearances’?  “

Clearly, something is happening at the grassroots with catelliers taking decisions out of sync with this stringent legislation!

Other such cases

In July 2019, a man was tried and convicted for cow slaughter after a neighbor had accused him of stealing his calf and slaughtering it to serve at his daughter’s wedding. Rather than being accused of theft, he was investigated for the crime of slaughter. Despite the fact that the prosecution had no proof, and the Forensic Science Laboratory in Rajkot couldn’t even confirm that the meat served at the wedding dinner was beef, the accused was convicted. In the said case, the Sessions Court judge, Hemant Kumar Dave, had stated that the accused must prove that the meat contained in the biryani was not obtained by slaughtering the calf. Thus, the onus of proving was put on the accused. He was then convicted for ten years.

In September 2019, the above-mentioned sentence was suspended by an embarrassed Gujarat High Court with the judge using ‘judicial discretion’, and the man was ordered to be freed. The government said it would appeal. Thus, not only the sessions court unlawful and unmindful order disrupted the life of the accused, it also put more unnecessary pressure on the already burdened judiciary of the our country.

This brings us back to the question: are these rules and laws being misused?

In this case, where the accused has been granted a life term sentence and the judge has written essays on the importance of cows in the sustenance of our world, it will not be wrong to observe that such a selective and irrational application of law are driven by blind religious beliefs and have no basis in rationality or science.

Cow protection is not a religious issue, and unfortunately, it is being made into one. Extremist Hindu outfits are using the issue of cow slaughter to blame and otherise the Muslim and Dalit community. As the general election approach, the extremist Hinduvta outfits are pushing their communal agenda with more strength.

A deep analysis of the cow slaughter laws in place in multiple states of India can be read here.

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Court orders 12 UP cops to be booked for murder of farmer: Cow Vigilantism

Gujarat: ‘Cow Dung Protects From Atomic Radiation’, Says Local Court While Sentencing Youth to Life

The post 22-year-old jailed for life, Gujarat court comments on how cow’s urine can cure many incurable diseases & how problems on earth will be solved the day cow slaughter is stopped appeared first on SabrangIndia.

AGRA: As many as twelve police personnel, including three sub-inspectors, were booked on January 22 for the ‘murder’ (section 302, Indian Penal Code-IPC) of 42-year-old farmer Zeeshan Haider, earlier accused of “cow slaughter”. This was following an order of the court of the chief judicial magistrate in Saharanpur, on a petition filed by Haider’s wife Afroz Begum, ordering the Deoband SHO to “register a case under relevant sections and provide a copy of it to the court within 24 hours” reported The Times of India.

The incident dates back to September 2021 when Haider’s wife had alleged that the local police had simply picked up her husband from their house and killed him.

The police in a contradictory version, had stated that following a “tip-off” of cow slaughter, they raided an area in a forest where Haider and a few others were found with “country made pistols”. “They fired at the police team and Haider was struck by a bullet from one of their weapons. He was taken to a hospital where he succumbed,” cops had claimed. Meanwhile, the cops’ version was persistently and strongly contested by Haider’s family.

“My husband had 40 bigha land and two licenced weapons. Why should he keep an illegal weapon?” his wife said. She approached the local court in November 2021. The Allahabad high court had only recently directed the lower court to “dispose of the case soon”. Haider was a resident of Thitki village under Deoband police limits. SHO (Deoband), Hirday Narayan Singh, said, “Following the court order, a case under IPC section 302 (murder) has been registered. A probe is being conducted.”

Janisar Ahmed, the lawyer representing Haider’s family, said, “In his judgment, the judge had observed that ‘it’s surprising that even after being arrested by police, there was an illegal weapon in the possession of the accused farmer for a long time. And the bullet was fired from that weapon itself. When the accused men were together and the police team was in another direction, then the fact that the accused shot each other with their weapons seems laughable’.”

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UP: More than a third of NSA cases about cow slaughter, majority quashed by HC

An ‘encounter’ in UP: Identical injuries, allegations of ‘cow slaughter’, Muslim daily wagers in jail?

Mass Arson over Rumour on Cow Slaughter: MP Court Acquits 9

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