Tension ran high in Baraut locality in Baghpat district of Uttar Pradesh on Friday after local residents spotted a few cows with 786 painted on their belly at Angadpur-Jahauri village under Binauli police station area.
According to a report of Amar Ujala there are some stray cows roaming in the village. Local villagers allege that some members of the Muslim community caught two-three stray cows and to create communal tension released them after stamping ‘786’ on them. 786 is the holy number in Islam. In Arabic, 786 translates to Bismillah Al-Rahman Al-Raheem, which means, In the name of Allah, the most gracious, the most merciful.
This angered the villagers who said that such an act was done to deliberately hurt the sentiments of Hindus. While the cow is treated as a sacred animal in sanatan dharma and consumption of its meat forbidden, there are no such rules for cows in Islam.
When OpIndia contacted Sanjay Kumar, the officer in-charge of Binauli police station he confirmed the incident. “It was written with henna which we have removed. No FIR has been lodged in this matter. But we are certainly looking for persons who have done this and for what intention. Stray animals are a big problem in Baghpat. Farmers abandon their old cows on the road. We are watchful about the situation,” Sanjay Kumar told OpIndia over phone.
Cruelty with cows is not a new thing in Baraut. Last month, a cow was allegedly shot dead at Kotana village where slaughtering takes place frequently. Last month, a cow was allegedly shot dead at Kotana village where slaughtering takes place frequently. Another incident of encounter between police and cow smugglers had taken place at Bopura village in Baraut. Police had arrested a cow smuggler Noman.