21 people have been arrested in Mainpuri district in Uttar Pradesh for violence after an angry mob went on rampage over alleged rumours of cow slaughter. Several shops and police vehicles were set on fire.
Mainpuri is located over 200 kilometres from the state capital Lucknow and 100 kilometres from Agra. According to the District Magistrate, violence started after a cow’s carcass was found near a field at a village here, triggering rumours that it was slaughtered. But when a post-mortem was conducted, the rumours were found to be false.
About two weeks ago in Dadri, Uttar Pradesh, a 52-year-old man was killed by a mob allegedly after rumours that he had killed a calf and had kept beef in his house.
Mohammed Akhlaq and his 22-year-old son Mohd Danish Saifee were dragged out of their house by around 100 villagers and beaten with bricks. While Akkhlaq was lynched to death, Danish has been in hospital since the attack.
(With inputs from Agencies)