DU: Mob assaults shopkeeper near North Campus over suspicion he sold beef

The shopkeeper, Chaman Kumar—a Nepali national—was allegedly dragged out of his shop and assaulted by over 50 people

A 44-year-old grocery store owner in northwest Delhi’s Vijay Nagar was assaulted by a mob on Wednesday night, allegedly after a teenage boy and members of an NGO suspected him of selling cow meat to students, police said.

Police said the incident stemmed from a tip-off by a 15-year-old boy who claimed to have overheard students discussing cow meat. (Representational image)

The incident took place near Delhi University’s North Campus, an area densely populated with students living in rented accommodations.

The shopkeeper, Chaman Kumar—a Nepali national—was allegedly dragged out of his shop and assaulted by over 50 people. Police said the incident stemmed from a tip-off by a 15-year-old boy who claimed to have overheard students discussing cow meat. The boy told HT he posed as a student from Kerala and inquired about beef for a birthday party. He alleged that Kumar initially denied selling meat but later agreed to sell him some the following day.

On Wednesday around 8.45pm, the boy returned and claimed to have bought meat for ₹400/kg from Kumar. He said he then contacted members of the NGO ‘Pahal Ek Jeevan Ki’, located nearby, which describes itself as a cattle protection group. The group allegedly entered the shop to conduct a “raid” but the situation quickly escalated.

“They slapped and thrashed him. I didn’t know it would get violent,” the boy said. “At one point, I thought they would kill him. I asked the NGO to confine him to the shop to protect him.”

A purported video, circulated online, shows Kumar being pulled out of his shop, slapped, abused, and beaten. In the clip, he is seen crying and pleading, saying, “I only sold buffalo meat, not cow’s.” The beating continued as local residents joined the group.

Police said they were alerted around 9:30pm, by which time students from the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) had also arrived, reportedly attempting to shield Kumar from the mob. The standoff continued until 2am, with locals staging a protest and SFI members intervening to de-escalate tensions.

Deputy commissioner of police (Northwest) Bhishm Singh said, “On suspicion of cow meat being sold, some members of the public manhandled the shopkeeper. A police team brought the situation under control. He has received medical attention.”

DCP Singh said police seized meat packets from the spot and have sent it to the forensic science lab for examination. A report is awaited, he said.

Kumar did not file a police complaint and returned home that night. On Thursday, he was summoned to the station but did not appear. “We are verifying the allegations and awaiting a forensic report to determine the nature of the meat seized. Further action will follow,” Singh said.

Locals said Kumar primarily sold groceries, fruit beer, and vegetables. He has run the shop since 2022 and, according to neighbours, had no prior complaints against him.

Kumar lives in Burari with his wife and two children. His residence was found locked on Thursday, and neighbours said they were unaware of the incident. His landlord, who also owns the shop, declined to comment beyond denying any involvement.

A local beat officer said preliminary findings suggested Kumar may have sold buffalo meat to some students. “The NGO appears to have acted on the belief it was cow meat,” he said.

Rakesh Singh, a nearby food vendor, said, “I didn’t see him sell meat. I only noticed grocery items at his shop. I don’t know why he was attacked.”

A 20-year-old DU student from Manipur, who requested anonymity, said, “Our landlord accused us of consuming beef after the incident. I’ve known Kumar for years—nobody here would risk selling cow meat in a residential area. This is targeted discrimination.”

On Thursday, SFI issued a statement saying the mob also called for raids on flats of students from the northeast and Kerala, accusing them of consuming beef. “The mob attacked anyone who supported the shopkeeper,” the statement said, adding that some SFI members were “profiled, followed, and attacked”.

Police said no FIR has been registered yet. “We’re reviewing video footage and await medical and forensic reports. Further action will depend on witness statements and any formal complaint by the victim,” said an officer.