Armed in riot gear, police thrash cow vigilantes in Tamil Nadu

Amid news of Muslims, Dalits and even government officials being thrashed mercilessly by cow vigilantes in various parts of the country, an incident in Tamil nadu emerges as an exception. After some reported violence in Dindugal district, Tamil Nadu police in riot gear were filmed thrashing cow vigilantes in Tamil Nadu.

According to earlier reports, the vigilantes - who belong to the Hindu Munnani group - waylaid a truck and forced the farmers to take away the calves that were being transported in it from Pollachi to Palani. The truck was taken to the police station. 

Other political activists soon arrived at the spot and allegedly started an argument with the vigilantes. They are also said to have convinced the police that the farmers had the necessary permits to transport the calves and that it was not for slaughter that they were being transported.

Trouble followed when the vigilantes got angry and started pelting stones on anything and everything in sight.  In that process, they also vandalised a public bus - cracking its front windscreen. 

Police retaliated with a lathi charge. As visuals in a reginal channel displayed, the cops could be seen armed in riot gear and running after the cow vigilantes and thrashing them.

The video by PPTV quickly went locally viral, drawing a mixed bag of reactions. 

However, the vigilantes themselves had a different version of the incident. A member told the The News Minute, "The vehicle was stopped by a Godman and he brought them to the station. Close to 20 calves were crammed into a small vehicle and it was inhumane." He further added, "Members of the group just went to the police station to see what was wrong. The Muslims and communists gathered there began an argument and started pelting stones but we were the ones targeted for it."

He also said that four of their members have been admitted to the hospital with grievous injuries. 
 

• tamil nadu
• south