Man thrashed by suspected cow vigilantes, dies

A 25-year-old man, who was allegedly thrashed by cow vigilantes on September 13, died at a hospital here today, police said.
Mohammad Ayyub Mev was admitted to V S Hospital after he was thrashed by unidentified persons on S G Highway on the night of September 13 after his car met with an accident.
A calf which he was allegedly carrying in the car died in the mishap.
Ayyub's brother Imran alleged that he was beaten up on the suspicion that he was transporting cows for slaughter.
"Ayyub's car met with an accident on SG Highway on the night of September 13. When some bystanders checked the car, they found a calf and a bullock. Due to the impact, the calf died while the bullock was rescued. To save himself from people's wrath, Ayyub started running," said inspector P B Rana of Anandnagar police station here.

"Since he tried to run away, some persons caught him and thrashed him. We had lodged a case of attempt to murder against the mob. Now as he has died of injuries we will file FIR for murder. No one is arrested yet," said Rana, adding the previous FIR did not name any specific person associated with cow protection groups.

However, Ayyub's brother Imran alleged that assailants were cow vigilantes.
"Those who killed my brother were indeed gau rakshaks. My brother was not carrying any cow. Out of some grudge, these gau rakshaks mercilessly thrashed him. We want the police to nab the real culprits," said Imran.

The BJP-ruled state was rocked by a huge controversy in July when some Dalit youths were flogged in public by cow vigilantes at Una.