Gurugram district cow protection force under scanner after action by vigilantes

Officials aware of the development said the committee be headed by a sub-divisional magistrate.

Gurugram deputy commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav on Saturday formed a committee to probe the recent actions taken by cow vigilante groups, including their alleged assault of suspected cow smugglers.

Gurugram, India-April 15, 2023: A speeding car of cow smugglers loaded with meet overturned at Gurugram-Sohna elevated road near Vatika chowk, in Gurugram, India, on Saturday, 15 April 2023. (Photo/HT)(Pic to go with Leena's story)

Officials aware of the development said the committee, which will be headed by a sub-divisional magistrate, will also check negligence, if any, by members of the newly formed Cow Protection Task Force, who have been given the responsibility of keeping a check on the activities of cow vigilantes.

On March 17, the Gurugram district administration had set up the task force to crack down on cow vigilantes and work for rescue and rehabilitation of the stray cattle, a week after the Haryana government asked districts to set up special committees mandated by the state’s law. Also on March 17, HT reported how the lack of such committees is among various factors allowing vigilantism to thrive, which has played out in groups targeting people in the name of cow smuggling.

DC Yadav said despite the formation of the special task force, several incidents involving cow vigilantes have taken place over the last few days. “The team did not even report the incidents to me despite regularly meeting being held with them. Anyone who is found guilty (of negligence) will be removed from the team. We will write to the police to initiate action against the suspects involved in the recent cases,” he said.

The incidents that Yadav was referring to were two videos shared by the YouTube page of self-proclaimed cow protector Mohit Yadav or Monu Manesar.

Monu’s YouTube page had become inactive after his alleged involvement in the gristly murder of two Muslim men in Haryana’s Bhiwani district in February. However, sometime around April 8, the account became active again with the name “Monu Manesar Bajrang Dal”, sharing two videos of cows being recovered after chasing alleged cattle smugglers in Nuh, Palwal and Gurugram. A separate video was shared on WhatsApp on April 15, officials said.

DC Yadav said, “Cow vigilantes are strictly banned from taking the law into their hands. We have already circulated the new rules and regulations, where information regarding cow smuggling and slaughtering will be shared with police and the task force. Only designated members can conduct raids. Anyone else found indulging in any such activities will face legal action,” he said.

He said the task force failed to keep a check on social media accounts of the groups that were involved in violence. “The team has been asked to submit a weekly report to ensure such actions can be prevented,” he said.

The DC said sub-divisional magistrate will submit a report regarding the details of the recent cases and the trail of information received. “(SDM) will probe why no timely action was taken, and will check copies of FIRs registered to know who was the complainant and what action was taken by the police teams present at the spot,” he said.

Yadav said that the task force will ensure immediate action against any illegal activities by both vigilantes and the smugglers. “Clear directions were passed that if any cow protection group gets a tip-off about cattle smuggling, they should inform the nearest police station and the Cow Protection Task Force but they are again violating the law. Strict action will be taken against the group involved in chasing smugglers on their own, and creating a ruckus,” he said.

Sandeep Manesar, a member of Bajrang Dal who was part of all three operations by cow vigilantes over the past week, said on Saturday morning, they were chasing a Hyundai Venue car on the elevated road from Subhash Chowk to Badshahpur before the vehicle lost control and crashed. “They were carrying beef, they fled from the spot leaving the car behind. We have reported to Badhshahpur police,” he said.

He also claimed that his cow vigilante group was involved in rescuing 12 bulls on April 10, and 35 cows from a truck on April 8.

Speaking about the April 15 incident, assistant commissioner of police (Sadar) Sanjeev Balhara said, “Police teams on patrolling got secret information that a Hyundai Venue going towards Sohna from Subhash Chowk was carrying more than 200kg of meat. The police teams signalled the vehicle to stop, but the vehicle driver took his vehicle on the opposite direction on Badshahpur road. After a 3km chase between police teams and smugglers, the vehicle driver lost control and the vehicle overturned on the road near Badshapur.”

“We have sent the meat samples for examination to know about the animal. We have registered a case against two unknown persons under relevant sections of the animal cruelty at Sadar police station and started further investigation into the matter,” Balhara added.