Teen accused of cow slaughter; beaten and assaulted

A 17-year-old Muslim boy was allegedly beaten black and blue by over a dozen others and forced to drink urine after the boy was accused of cow slaughter.

The boy was tortured inside a children's reform home in Faridabad in Haryana by inmates even as the charges against the Muslim teen are yet to be proved by the court. The accused boy was gagged and mercilessly beaten inside the compound of the reform home. He was humiliated and cold water was poured on him in biting winter.

The allegations were made by the father of the accused boy in a petition filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court in Chandigarh, for justice. According to the petition, the incident took place on January 2 and 3. The boy was arrested on December 29 following an FIR filed in Nuh district of Haryana. Allegations are that the boy was indulging in sale and slaughter of cows. The boy was first sent to the district jail as he was shown as an adult. However, after the family showed his school certificate, he was sent to the children's reform home in Faridabad where the alleged incident took place.

Vigilantism

The High Court has asked the inspector general of police of south range to file a status report. The boy was booked under the Haryana Gauvansh Sanrakshan and Gausamvardhan Act that deals with crimes related to sale of beef, cow smuggling and cow slaughter. The petition alleges that after the inmates came to know that the Muslim boy was accused of cow slaughter, over a dozen inmates tortured him. The petition states that the accused boy was being victimised due to his religion.

BJP-ruled Haryana has banned beef consumption and its sale, cow smuggling and slaughter. As a result, self-styled vigilante groups are taking law into their hands in the name of cow protection.