Cow vigilantes deliver dung-flavoured ‘justice’

The cow vigilantes are at it again. No, they’re not thrashing people to death on the suspicion of eating beef. This time they are imposing their unique brand of ‘cow justice’. A new video has surfaced, showing volunteers of the Gurgaon Gau Raksha Dal forcing two “beef transporters” – Rizwan and Mukhtiar – to eat panchgavya – a distinctly swadeshi concoction made out of cow dung, cow urine, curd, ghee and milk.

The incident in question seems to have occurred on June 10 when members of the Gau Raksha Dal intercepted a car allegedly carrying 700 kg of beef near Badarpur. The next step would have been to hand the offenders over to the police. After all, Haryana takes cow protection very seriously. According to the state’s cow protection laws, anyone abetting sale of beef without a permit would face up to five years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 50,000. But the Gau Rakshaks believe their role is not just limited to nabbing the enemies of gaumata, but to “teach them a lesson”, as Dharmendra Yadav, president of Gurgaon Gau Rakshak Dal, told the Indian Express. There was also a more benevolent aim to the exercise — Yadav told IE that the concoction they were forced to drink would “purify them”. Because nothing purifies the mind, body and soul better than cow dung and urine slithering down your throat, right? Fortunately for the beef transporters, they were allowed to drink water to assist with the spirit purification.

Yadav, who doesn’t deny the incident occurred, said he has no idea who shot the video. The men can apparently be seen struggling with the mixture and throwing up on the road. Slogans of ‘Gau Mata ki Jai’ and ‘Jai Shree Ram’ can also be heard reportedly, which the two men had to repeat with their mouths full of cow dung. Following this, the men were handed over to the Faridabad police, who confirmed that the men were indeed transporting beef, but 300 kg rather than 700 kg. The men have been charged under the Prohibition of Cow Slaughter Act and remain in judicial custody. A long jail sentence probably awaits them. As for the gau rakshaks, they’ll be on their way like always.