Subsequent investigation, aided by veterinary experts, confirmed that the meat was not from the banned animals
Team Clarion
NEW DELHI – A Hindutva mob brutally assaulted two Muslim youths accusing them of transporting buffalo beef. The incident happened earlier this week in the Uttar Pradesh city of Ghaziabad, not far away from the national capital.
According to media reports, Ashraf and Aamir, both from Delhi, were transporting the beef in their vehicle which overturned near the ABES Engineering College in the Crossing Republic area of the city, causing the stuff to spill onto the road.
Members of Hindutva extremist groups, Bajrang Dal and Hindu Raksha Dal, swiftly descended on the scene. They accused the duo of transporting meat from banned animals without verifying the facts.
Despite Ashraf and Aamir’s desperate protests and pleas for mercy, the mob tied them up and unleashed a brutal assault, with bystanders joining in the assault. A chilling video of the incident, capturing the mob’s savagery, quickly spread across social media, drawing widespread condemnation.
The Hindutva extremists eventually handed the battered men over to the police. However, a subsequent investigation, aided by veterinary experts, confirmed that the meat was not from banned animals. It was legally being transported from Hapur in Uttar Pradesh to Delhi. Despite this confirmation, the authorities buried the meat as a precaution.
Adding insult to injury, the police have registered a case against Ashraf and Aamir under the Animal Cruelty Act, while a complaint has also been lodged against the attackers. Further action is awaited following a detailed investigation.
The incident is a grim reflection of the growing climate of intolerance and violence against minorities in the country, where baseless accusations are often met with mob justice, particularly under the influence of Hindutva extremism.