Tensions flared up in the Lakshman Bagh colony of the Bichhiya police station area in Rewa, Madhya Pradesh, on Saturday (27th September) after locals found the severed body parts of a cow in a river, amid the festival of Navratri.
Angry locals placed the severed head of the cow on the road and protested. Members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) demanded stringent action against the culprits. Condemning the incident, VHP member Balkrishna Dwivedi said, “Our religious sentiments are hurt. The administration should not neglect such incidents. If the accused are not caught soon, we will protest”.
Police assured strict action
An FIR, accessed by OpIndia, was filed by the police on the same day against unnamed persons under sections 196(2), 299, and 365 of the BNS, section 11(1) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, and rule 6/9 of the Madhya Pradesh Govansh Vadh Pratishedh Rules, 2004. Police are looking for the culprits. Chief Superintendent of Police Rewa, Rajiv Pathak, took stock of the situation and assured the locals of swift and strict action.
Police are examining the CCTV footage to identify the culprits. SHO Bichhiya, Manidha Upadhyay, said that the police are looking for the culprits and that legal action will be taken against them. She appealed to the locals to cooperate with the police and maintain peace. Two suspects, Mohammad Ismail and a minor, have reportedly been detained by the police in connection with the incident.
Several such incidents have happened in the area in the past: Locals
Locals said that some suspicious people were seen roaming in the area at night. OpIndia spoke to a local named Vishal Singh, who said that this is not the first time that such an incident has taken place in the area. He said that many such incidents have happened in the area in the past and that complaints were filed regarding the same, but the incidents have not stopped.
Narrating the entire incident, Singh said that last night, the culprits slaughtered the cow at the bank of the river. When the locals noticed their activities, they informed others. However, by the time people arrived, the culprits had run away. Thereafter, they informed the police and started looking for the chopped body parts of the cow in the river. After searching, the severed head of the cow was recovered from the river and her skin found nearby.
Vishal Singh said that there is a gang of around 15-18 people who roam around in the area looking for cows to slaughter. He added that these people sell beef after slaughtering cows. Singh demanded strictest action against the culprits, who have become a menace in the area.
