Patna, India: A mob in an Indian village beat to death three men suspectedof stealing cattle Friday in a new “cow vigilante” attack reported bypolice that highlights hardening Hindu nationalism.
A fourth man was in critical condition in hospital after the attack in avillage in the eastern state of Bihar.
Police said three people had been detained for the killings and others inthe village were suspected. At least one of the dead was Muslim.
The group had been driving a truck and were stopped in Pithori Nandlalvillage by a crowd who accused them of stealing cows, which are consideredsacred by Hindus.
Many Indian states ban the eating and slaughter of beef. Attacks onindividuals suspected of trading in cows have increased however since Hindunationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power in 2014, accordingto rights groups.
A Bihar police official told AFP the latest victims, who came from a rivalvillage, “were badly beaten on suspicion of stealing cattle and died on theway to the hospital.”
As news of the deaths spread, residents from the men’s home village went tothe hospital to stage an angry protest, police said. Relatives of the deadbeat up a man from Pinthori Nandlal.
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Many of the “cow vigilante” attacks in recent years have been on Muslimsand the opposition Congress party accused Bihar’s state government offailing to protect minorities.
“Three people were beaten to death and are victims of mob lynching. But thegovernment will give a different version of the incident to save its skin,”Congress lawmaker Premchand Mishra said in the state assembly.
At least 44 people were killed in cow-related violence from 2015 to 2018,according to Human Rights Watch.
At least three other cases have been reported this year before the latestthree men were killed. In May, a Muslim man was shot in the head in Kashmirstate by cow vigilantes.
Last month, a US State Department report said religious violence againstminorities had increased under Modi. It said Muslims and low-cast Dalitshad been particularly targeted for eating beef. India rejected the report.-APP/AFP
