Cow-vigilantes thrash five men; booked after meat found to be

An auto-rickshaw driver and four of his friends were allegedly thrashed by a group of cow vigilantes on the suspicion that they were carrying beef here yesterday, the police said today.
However, it emerged during the initial investigation that it was buffalo meat that the Azad, the auto-rickshaw driver, and his friends were transporting, they said.
The police have now registered a case based on the statement of the auto-rickshaw driver and the meat has been sent to a forensic lab for further tests, officials said.
According to officials, the injured Azad has told them that he and four of his friends were returning from Fatehpur Billauch area to Old Faridabad yesterday with some buffalo meat. It was near village Bajri that that 15-20 youth asked them to stop, they said.

According to the auto-driver, the youth thrashed them and then called up the police. They handed Azad over to the police alleging that he was a cow-smuggler, officials said.
A police official said that based on the complaint of the group, a case was registered against the auto-driver under the laws related to cow slaughter.
"In the initial investigation, it was found that it was buffalo meat and not beef that was being transported. Therefore, a case under relevant sections was registered on the complaint of Azad. Further action will be taken after probing the matter," SHO, Mujesar police station, Vinod Singh, said.