Haridwar youth assaulted by cow vigilantes; 5 taken into custody

A youth allegedly transporting cattle in Haridwar was intercepted and assaulted by a group of suspected cow vigilantes, police said, adding that five accused have been taken into custody after a video of the incident surfaced online.

The video, purportedly recorded and uploaded by the accused themselves, showed the man being forcibly bundled into a vehicle and assaulted.

According to police, the victim, identified as Saddam, a resident of Bairagi Camp in the Kankhal area, alleged in his complaint that the incident took place on the night of 19 March.

He said he was transporting two cows and a calf to Dinarpur when the accused intercepted his vehicle near Kali Temple.

The group accused him of transporting the cattle for slaughter, forcibly took him into their car and assaulted him, the complaint stated.

Saddam also alleged that the accused threatened to kill him if he was seen transporting cows again.

Police action after video surfaces

Following circulation of the video on social media, police identified both the victim and the accused.

Haridwar Superintendent of Police (City) Abhay Pratap Singh said a case has been registered against five individuals — Pawan, Piyush, Rajan Chaudhary, Abhay and Saurabh.

“Immediate action was taken regarding the incident. A case has been registered and the accused have been taken into custody,” Singh said.

The accused claimed that the youth was taking the cattle for slaughter, police said, adding that the matter is under investigation.

Incidents involving alleged cow vigilantes have periodically been reported from different parts of the country, often linked to suspicions of illegal cattle transport.

Police said further investigation is underway to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the incident and the claims made by both sides.