The five men who were beaten up by gau rakshaks on Jaipur-Delhi highway near Behror on Saturday had valid permits for transport of cows and calves, said a family member of one of the injured men.

“My brother bought three cows for Rs 75,000 from an animal flea market in Jaipur on Saturday. He paid Rs 700 to Jaipur Municipal Corporation for transport permit,” said Yusuf Khan, brother of Azmat, who was among the five men assaulted by gau rakshaks. Yusuf shared the two transport permits, one issued in the name of his brother, Azmat and the other, in the name of Irshad, another cow trader. The permit issued by a local body for bringing cattle for farming.

The gau rakshaks attacked the two vehicles which were carrying two cows and their calves in one and three cows and their calves in another. They alleged that the cattle were being smuggled for slaughter. Due to this reason, they brutally attacked the men, killing one.

Pehlu Khan, the 55-year-old man who succumbed to his injuries in Kailash Hospital in Behror, was with his two sons, Arif and Irshad.

“His sons are numb as the village mourns their father’s unfortunate death. What was their fault? Buying cattle for farming is not a crime,” says another villager.

“They left him to die,” Yusuf said, talking about the medical condition of Azmat, 22. “He has big clots under his left eye and is not able to hear but we have brought him home,” he added.

Husain Khan, Pehlu Khan’s relative, told HT that the old man told him before he died in hospital that the gau rakshaks tried to tear the transport permits when told they were legally transporting the cows.