Jamia students demand justice for dairy farmer killed by cow vigilantes

Scores of Jamia Millia Islamia students organised a protest march on Monday to demand justice for a dairy farmer who was allegedly attacked by cow vigilantes in the Mewat district of Rajasthan on April 1. Pahlu Khan, 55, had died after the attack by the 'gau rakshas', who accused him of illegally smuggling cows for slaughter.

Khan was attacked while he was travelling in a truck carrying two cows and two calves. It was later revealed that he was a dairy farmer and was not carrying the cattle for slaughter.

"We strongly condemn the shameful incident and demand strict punishment for the culprits," research scholar Imran Khan, who hails from Mewat, said.

Holding placards, the protesters gathered near the central canteen of the varsity and denounced the growing trend of cow vigilantism in the country. "The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is instigating extremism in our country with an aim to create communal tension. These daily occurrences are proving to be a threat to the Indian democracy and secularism," Khan said.

"The vigilantes have not killed a Muslim. They have murdered the Constitution on the roads of Rajasthan," said another student Arab Khan, while demanding strict action against the culprits.