A Muslim man, identified as Salim, was allegedly assaulted by a group of self-proclaimed cow vigilantes in Ghaziabad’s Shastri Nagar after they accused him of carrying beef. The incident came to light after a video of the assault circulated on social media.
According to posts sharing the video, the attackers claimed to be members of a cow protection group. Police reached the spot, took possession of the meat for forensic examination, and detained Salim. An investigation into the incident is currently underway.
As of the time of publication, Ghaziabad Police has not issued any official statement confirming the findings of the forensic analysis of the seized meat.
The assault is the latest in a series of incidents in which Muslims have been targeted by self-styled cow vigilante groups over allegations related to cattle or beef. A Reuters analysis of documented cow-related violence found that a majority of such attacks recorded since 2010 occurred after 2014, following the BJP’s rise to power at the Centre. Human rights organisations have documented numerous cases over the past decade in which Muslims and Dalits, particularly those associated with the cattle trade, have been subjected to violence, with several incidents resulting in fatalities.
In August last year, Sabir Malik, a migrant worker from West Bengal, was allegedly lynched in Haryana’s Charkhi Dadri after being accused of consuming beef. Around the same time, an elderly Muslim passenger travelling by train was assaulted by a group of men who accused him of carrying beef. A video of that incident also circulated widely on social media.
Researchers studying political violence in India have identified cow vigilantism as a recurring factor in attacks on Muslim civilians, noting that many of these incidents involve informal cow protection groups that often operate with limited legal accountability.
