Farmers locked up hundreds of stray cows in Gorai for two days this week to protect their crops. A top police officer later said vehicles transporting the animals to shelters were attacked. Why? Rumours spread that they were going to be slaughtered.

On December 24 and 25, farmers locked up around 700 to 800 stray cows inside a government school and primary health centre. One farmer said the animals were destroying crops, and that the government had taken no action despite requests for cow shelters.

Complaints were made. District Magistrate CB Singh said he asked a sub-divisional magistrate to visit Gorai, and that the administration was building shelters in various villages.

Then, when the cows were being transported to shelters, a few people attacked the vehicles, Aligarh SSP AK Sahni said.

He said rumours had been spread through WhatsApp that cows were being taken to be slaughtered. (Rumours on WhatsApp have proved to be deadly in India in the past. Read more here.)

Four arrests have been made, and two cases filed, Sahni said. An investigation is ongoing.

Inputs from ANI