Raipur, Chhattisgarh – In the aftermath of the recent NDA government’s election, a tragic incident occurred where two truck drivers from Uttar Pradesh were reportedly lynched by individuals claiming to be “cow vigilantes”. The victims, identified as Chand Miyan, 23, and Guddu Khan, 35, were said to be transporting buffaloes when the attack took place near the temple town of Arang in Raipur district. An additional victim, named Saddam Qureshi, survived but is currently hospitalized with injuries.
According to the lone survivor’s harrowing account, a mob of 14-15 people brutally assaulted them, resulting in the deaths of two individuals who were later thrown off a bridge onto a riverbed. In a desperate attempt to save himself, the survivor leaped off the bridge. A distressing 57-second video of the survivor in his hospital bed has since circulated widely on social media, shedding light on the horrific nature of the incident.
Reports suggest that the vigilantes targeted the truck drivers over suspicions of cow smuggling. The brutal assault transpired after the Chhattisgarh-registered truck was chased along the Mahasamund-Arang Road, approximately 70 kilometers from Raipur, and cornered on a bridge over the Mahanadi River. The assault occurred between 2am and 3am, with police arriving at the scene an hour later, finding one victim already deceased.
Raipur’s Senior Superintendent of Police, Santosh Singh, confirmed the registration of an FIR concerning the incident. While there were initial speculations of mob lynching, officials have indicated that autopsy reports are pending and that there is presently no concrete evidence to support the claim. The truck involved in the incident has been seized, and the animals on board have been placed in an animal shelter by the authorities.
In a separate incident in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, trucks transporting goats for the Eid-ul-Zuha sacrifice were reportedly targeted by cow vigilantes. The unsettling pattern of violence against individuals involved in the transportation of animals for various purposes raises concerns about the safety and security of those working in the livestock trade.
The gravity of these incidents underscores the need for swift and effective measures to address vigilante justice and prevent further tragedies from befalling innocent individuals caught in the crossfire of communal tensions. The victims’ families, including the pregnant wife of one deceased individual, Guddu, are left grappling with shock and grief following these senseless acts of violence.