By Sayima Ahmad
In yet another incident of violence by cow vigilantes, an elderly Muslim man was brutally attacked by a mob on Sunday, August 17, in Samastipur, Bihar, reportedly on suspicion of cow smuggling.
Reports state that the radical group Hindu Rashtra Ekta Manch’s mob targeted the man when they raided his vehicle and discovered cows inside. The mob was reportedly aggressive, fuelled by suspicion that the man was involved in illegal activities of cattle transport.
A video that has surfaced on social media shows the man pleading for mercy with folded hands while the violent mob viciously thrashes him. The man was saved only after police intervened in time to rescue him from the assault, preventing further harm.
The incident highlights the ongoing challenges faced by minorities in India, particularly the Muslim community who have become a target of violence in the country. Such attacks have been on the rise since the emergence of self-styled cow-vigilante groups, which often take the law into their own hands.
This story was originally published in siasat.com. Read the full story here.