A gau rakshak in Haryana’s Palwal district was shot dead on the evening of 29 July in an incident the police say has no connection with cattle smuggling. Thirty-five-year-old Gopal was an active member of a local team of cow vigilantes, whose other members have alleged that he was attacked and killed while trying to chase a vehicle containing smuggled cows.
Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar reacted to the incident, “No criminal will be spared. Whenever such an incident occurs, police investigates & takes necessary action.”
Haryana Police have confirmed an investigation is ongoing, reported NDTV.
“We are investigating the murder case but so far there is no evidence of the involvement of cattle smugglers in this killing.”Narendra Bijarniya, Palwal police superintendent
The incident took place on the Hodal-Nuh Highway, a 42-km National Highway. The FIR quotes Gopal’s brother Jalvir as saying, “He was an active member of a gau raksha team and cattle smugglers held a grudge against him. On Monday evening, we received information that our younger brother has been shot.”
The attack comes only a month after the BJP government in Haryana led by Manohar Lal Khattar amended the Haryana Gauvansh Sanrakshan and Gausamvardhan Act of 2015 in order to empower specific police personnel to stop and search a vehicle used (or intended to be used) for cow or beef transportation.
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