Maharashtra: Man lynched by 'cow vigilantes' on suspicion of transporting beef in Nashik; 11 held

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A 32-year-old man was lynched allegedly a group of 'cow vigilantes' on suspicion of transporting beef in Maharashtra's Nashik district, police officials told news agency PTI on Monday.

This is the second incident in Nashik in nearly two weeks of killing of a person by 'cow vigilantes'.

The latest incident took place at around 5.30 pm on Saturday near Gambhirwadi on Ghoti-Sinnar Road in Igatpuri area of Nashik, located more than 150 km from Mumbai, an official told PTI.

Eleven persons have been arrested in this connection, the Ghoti police told PTI.

Two men from Kurla area in Mumbai, who were transporting meat in a car were attacked allegedly by a group of 10 to 15 'cow vigilantes' with steel rods and wooden sticks, the official said.

The two men, Afan Ansari (32) and his associate Nasir Qureshi (24), who were on way to Mumbai, received serious injuries in the attack, he said.

Both were rushed to SMBT Hospital in Dhamangaon area where Ansari was declared dead during treatment, the official told PTI, adding the other injured person was undergoing treatment.

Based on Qureshi's complaint, the Ghoti police have arrested 11 persons and a case has been registered on charges of murder, he said.

The meat samples have been sent to a forensic lab for testing and further probe is underway into the case, he said.

On June 8, three men transporting cattle on a tempo were attacked allegedly a group of 'cow vigilantes', police earlier said.

The body of one of them, identified as Lukman Ansari (23), was recovered from a gorge at Ghatandevi in Igatpuri area on June 10, they said.

Meanwhile, a 32-year-old 'cow vigilante' was killed in an attack in Maharashtra's Nanded district after he and his friends sought to intercept a vehicle on suspicion that it was smuggling cattle, police said on June 20.

Local Hindu right-wing organizations called for a Bandh over the incident but later withdrew the call.

The incident took place near Shivni village in Kinwat tehsil around 11.30 pm on June 19, superintendent of police Shrkrishna Kokate told PTI.

Seven men from Shivni and Chikhli villages were returning from a program in neighbouring Telangana in a car when they saw a vehicle and suspected that it was transporting cattle illegally, he told PTI.

When they tried to stop it, about 10-15 men from the vehicle allegedly attacked them with sticks and sharp weapons. Shekhar Rapeli (32) died due to the injuries while four others who were with him were seriously injured and undergoing treatment at the Nanded government hospital, the police official told PTI.

A case of murder and rioting was registered at Islapur police station and police were looking for the suspects, the SP said.

(With inputs from PTI)