Tamil Nadu officials transporting 50 cows and 30 calves from Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer got a taste of northern hospitality. The convoy of five trucks carrying the cattle, purchased by the state’s husbandry department, was attacked by self-styled cow vigilantes on Sunday night on NH-15 in Barmer district.

The TN officials were assaulted and the vigilantes also tried to set a truck on fire – but the act was averted by the police. While at least 50 have been booked by Rajasthan police, it also said that the attackers were “drunk anti-social elements.”

Barmer Superintendent of Police, P Gagandeep Singla was quoted by the Indian Express as saying, “The Tamil Nadu officials are in Jaisalmer. The cows have temporarily been put up in a local gaushala. We are making alternative arrangements for their transportation.” Rajasthan’s famous Tharparkar breed cows were purchased by the TN department under the National Agricultural Development Programme (NADP).The police said that the accused do not belong to any specific organisation or group. “They were drunk anti-social elements. We have booked 50 people under sections 332 and 353 (voluntary hurting a public servant on duty) and relevant sections of the National Highways Act,” said Singla.

The police said that the accused do not belong to any specific organisation or group. “They were drunk anti-social elements. We have booked 50 people under sections 332 and 353 (voluntary hurting a public servant on duty) and relevant sections of the National Highways Act,” said Singla.

Several policemen who supposedly did not respond to the calls made by the TN officials at the time have been transferred from the local police station.

It is important to note that, in April in Alwar a 50-year-old dairy farmer, Pehlu Khan was lynched to death by a mob – who believed he was smuggling a cow.

Meanwhile on Monday, Meghalaya assembly had passed a resolution against the Central government’s order to a ban the sale of cattle in market places for slaughter.