Police failed to stop illegal cow slaughter: VHP on Bulandshahr violence

Days after a shocking incident of mob violence in Uttar Pradesh's Bulandshahr claimed the lives of a police inspector and a youth, the VHP Wednesday termed it "unfortunate", while alleging that the police had failed to stop illegal cow slaughter in the area.

A mob of about 400 people, including right-wing activists, fought pitched battles with the police on Monday in the Siana area of Bulandshahr district, apparently after right-wing activists were angered by the discovery of cow carcasses strewn in a nearby jungle.

The mob set dozens of vehicles on fire, hurled stones and even fired from guns at the police, who also retaliated with gunfire.

In the violence, Inspector Subodh Kumar Singh, the station house officer of Siana, and 20-year-old Sumit Kumar were killed.

In a statement issued two days after the incident, Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) joint general secretary Surendra Jain said, "There can be no place for murder in any democracy, but the way a section of the media has tried to blame a certain ideology for the unfortunate incident, without ascertaining the facts, is highly inappropriate."