Six arrested for cow slaughter in Bharuch

Bharuch: Five youths and their accomplice from Shankhwad village reportedly stole an injured cow from a cowherd in Eksal village and slaughtered it. The incident triggered a massive protest rally by Hindu youths and organizations, prompting the police to take action and arrest the six accused. 

The accused were identified as Sharif alias Sarfaraj Ghulam Mansuri, Waseem Usman Mansuri, Mubarak Haider Mansuri, Soheb Sokat Mansuri, and Rizwan Abdul Mansuri from Shankhwad village, along with Ajay alias Banki Laxman Rathore from Amleswar, who assisted in taking the cow.

According to the details, Kamlesh, a resident of Ahir Paliya in Eksal village and a cattle rearer, was taking his cow across the canal on October 31 at around 6 pm. The cow, injured in its leg and pregnant, was unable to walk, so Kamlesh tied it to a tree on the outskirts of the village and went home. When he returned around 10 pm to check on his cow, he found it missing. He, along with his father and family members, began searching for it. They soon learned that six individuals from Shankhwad village had stolen the cow. The cow was later found slaughtered near the water canal in Shankhwad. Kamlesh immediately reported the incident to the Bharuch taluka police.

As news of the cow slaughter spread, leaders of Hindu organizations and youth gathered in large numbers, warning of a major agitation if strict action was not taken against the accused. Upon investigation, the police identified the culprits, arrested them, and initiated further legal proceedings.

After the incident, tensions rose in the village, and some Muslim families locked their homes and moved to stay with relatives in other areas, fearing potential animosity between the two communities. To prevent any untoward incidents, the police deployed tight security in the village. They also held discussions with village leaders and ensured additional security measures to maintain law and order.