Mob said to number 30-40 men: Police register case against three men for "illegal transport of cattle": Social activist says police did nothing
Three men carrying buffaloes were allegedly thrashed on Saturday night by a mob of animal activists and were later arrested by the police. Delhi Police officials say that they are yet to trace the unidentified assaulters.
The incident took place late on Saturday night near Kalkaji area of south Delhi. A call was made to the police at 11.45 pm.
The victims, Rizwan, 25, Ashu, 28, and Kamil, 25, allege that they were beaten up for carrying buffaloes that were being transported to a legal slaughterhouse in Ghazipur Mandi in east Delhi. All of them sustained injuries on the head and face. One of them also had a bleeding eye.
"They parked their cars in front of our vehicle and pulled us out. They beat us up black and blue even though we tried to tell them that we were taking the buffaloes to a legal slaughterhouse," said Rizwan, driver of the truck.
Eyewitness accounts claim that police officers present at the location did not follow their duties. Khadija Faruqi, one of the eyewitness, said, "I was coming back after a dinner gathering when I spotted some men beating up the truck drivers mercilessly. I informed the police as well but they were of no help. They were more interested in clearing the traffic than saving those three men."
Police say that Gaurav Gupta, an animal rights activist and office bearer of People For Animals (PFA), a social welfare organisation, complained to them about the "illegal transport of cattle." He also informed them that a Haryana number truck was carrying the cattle.
Acting on the complaint of the PFA member, the police registered a case against the three men under Section 429 (Mischief by killing or maiming cattle) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 11 of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act at the Kalkaji police station.
They have also registered a case against unknown persons for assaulting the truck driver and his associates. "The vehicle carrying the animals was immediately shifted to SPCA Tis Hazari court where a total of 14 buffaloes were recovered from the vehicle," said Romil Baaniya, DCP (South-East).
The three men were later released on bail.
Meanwhile, family members of the three men said that the police did not allow them to see them. Taiyab, Kamil's father said, "My son was badly beaten up by the agitated mob. We were not allowed to see him." Ehtesham Hashmi, the lawyer fighting their case, alleged that the three were beaten up by over 30-40 persons in the presence of the police.
"The Sections under which the case has been registered are weak Sections. The police officers are protecting the animal activists," added Hashmi.
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