Mob in India lynches two persons over suspected cow theft

Record ID: 1375142

  • Title: Mob in India lynches two persons over suspected cow theft
  • Date: 2nd May 2017
  • Summary: NAGAON, ASSAM, INDIA (APRIL 30, 2017) (ANI - Broadcasters: NO ACCESS BBC Digital: NO ACCESS BBC) (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) STATION HOUSE OFFICER, NAGAON, ANANTA DAS, SAYING: "Our investigation revealed that these boys were trying to steal cows when they were spotted by the public. People tried to catch them but they fled. Eventually, the mob surrounded them and beat them up. They are suspected cattle lifters and investigations are ongoing." GUWAHATI, ASSAM, INDIA (MAY 01, 2017) (ANI - Broadcasters: NO ACCESS BBC Digital: NO ACCESS BBC) (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) A LEADER OF INDIA'S RULING BHARATIYA JANATA PARTY, R. P. SHARMA, SAYING: "Cows should definitely be protected. India is a country where a cow is worshipped and treated as mother and goddess Lakshmi. However, it is bad to take law into your own hands and beat or kill people, this should not happen. These people should have directly registered an FIR and then the police would have taken action." (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) A LEADER OF INDIA'S OPPOSITION CONGRESS PARTY, APURBA BHATTACHARYA, SAYING: "Is there no law in this country? It is bad that people take the law into their own hands and give such a punishment that two persons have got killed. This is not a small thing. Government should think about this seriously, why people took the law into their own hands?"
  • Embargoed: 16th May 2017 11:08
  • Keywords: cow vigilantes India Assam Nagaon Lynching
  • Location: NAGAON, GUWAHATI, ASSAM/GURUGRAM, HARYANA, INDIA
  • City: NAGAON, GUWAHATI, ASSAM/GURUGRAM, HARYANA, INDIA
  • Country: India
  • Topics: Crime/Law/Justice
  • Reuters ID: LVA0046F5A9MT
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: THE EDIT CONTAINS GRAPHIC MATERIAL
    A mob in India beat to death two Muslims who were accused of trying to steal cows for slaughter, police said on Sunday (April 30), the latest incident in a surge of violence blamed on hardline Hindu groups.
    Some Hindu groups are demanding a ban on the slaughter of cows, which many Hindus regard as 'sacred'. Activists have been making their demands more vociferously since Prime Minister Narendra Modi, of the Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), came to power in 2014.
    Police said the latest attack happened in Nagaon village in India's northeastern Assam state after a mob lynched two 'cow thieves'. About 20 people attacked the two Muslim youths, beating them with sticks, after they were accused of plotting to steal cows.
    Two people were reportedly arrested on Monday (May 1) for their alleged involvement in the lynching of the two youths.
    Cows are revered in Hindu culture. Ironically, India is the world's largest exporter of beef and its fifth biggest consumer.
  • Copyright Holder: ANI (India)
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