While vigilante gau rakshaks who take the law into their own hands need to be condemned outright, it is with equal promptness and seriousness that we must protect common tourists and genuine animal lovers (cow saviours), who have come under attack and have been facing life threats from the meat mafia in the country.

Fortunately for the meat mafia, cases of genuine animal lovers being intimidated or attacked are seldom being reported these days, as the outrage is primarily against gau rakshaks (cow vigilantes) and mobs who have lynched cattle transporters merely on rumours of consumption of beef.

Just as the lynchings of Akhlaq in Uttar Pradesh's Dadri and Pehlu Khan in Rajasthan's Alwar are shameful, protecting the lives of genuine animal lovers - some of them being AWBI officers, women, tourists and actual gau rakshaks who face life-threats from the meat mafia and have little support from law-enforcement agencies - is paramount.

RECENT ATTACKS BY MEAT MAFIA ON ORDINARY CITIZENS

1. July 14, 2017

Software engineer Kanan and his friends were attacked while his wife was molested by a mob of armed meat mafia goons in the evening on Friday. "It was about 4 pm when all four of us were on a sightseeing trip in Khedapoda village in Chandili in Odisha's Rayadaga district when we saw some miscreants armed with sticks and knives, thrashing cattle. With the police not responding promptly, we tried to reason with the goons ourselves. Little did we know that they would attack us with the same sticks and axes with which they were beating animals. I was attacked while my wife was molested by these barbarians. They snatched and smashed my phone which had all the recordings. It is a miracle we are still alive", Kanan said. While Kanan is undergoing treatment, no arrests have been made for the assault. And no cattle have been seized till now. SP Rahul avoided India Today's attempts to meet and speak. An FIR has been registered with the Bissam Cuttack Police Station in Odisha. FIR NO. 38/2017.

2. July 10, 2017

Meat mafia goons opened fire on police officials in Khol in Haryana's Rewari district. The meat mafia were carrying 16 animals (including cows, bulls and calves) which were stuffed in a van. Four out of these 16 animals were already dead. The miscreants broke through a police checkpost in Rewari. When the cops chased them, they opened fire on the police. A case has been booked under IPC 1860, Haryana Gau Samwardhan Act and the ARMS Act with the Khol Police Station, Rewari in Haryana. FIR NO: 192/2017.

3. July 09, 2017

Animal lover Teertho. Animal lover Teertho.

Animal lovers were pelted with stones and sticks by meat mafia goons for clicking photographs. Recently, animal lovers Teertho and Niranjan were attacked with stones and beaten with sticks by meat mafia goons for visiting and clicking photographs at an animal fair in Kaalapatthar in Odisha's Begunia. Niranjan suffered head injuries while Teertho was severely attacked and his wallet, phone and passport stolen. A case has been registered with the Beguniya Police station in Khorda district in Odisha. FIR NO: 116/2017.

4. June 24, 2017

AWBI officer Thimaraju AWBI officer Thimaraju

An AWBI (Animal Welfare Board of India) officer was thrashed by meat mafia in front of the police in Karanataka. AWBI officer Thimaraju was thrashed by a mob of meat mafia goons last month in the presence of police officials for bringing to light how an illegal slaughterhouse was running in Channarayapatna in Hassan district. "I visited the illegal slaughterhouse with police officials where we found hoards of calves locked inside a small room. After getting the animals released while we were returning towards the PCR van, I heard a group of butchers chasing me. Surprisingly, no police officer was around to protect me. I was hit on the head and thrashed in front of the Police PCR van. The police had conveniently vanished for those few minutes." A case was registered under charges of attempt to murder (226/2017) and cow slaughter (225/2017) under the Channarayapatna police station in Hassan district in Karnataka.

5. ATTACKS ON WOMEN

AWBI officers Joshine Anthony and Kavita Jain and active volunteers of the Gau Gyan Foundation have been attacked several times by the meat mafia in the past in front of police officials and in front of police stations as they raised their voice against the mafia group's illegal activities.

AWBI officer Joshine Anthony. AWBI officer Joshine Anthony.

AWBI officer Kavita Jain. AWBI officer Kavita Jain.

They were pelted with stones by miscreants in Kanakpura market under Ramnagar District in Karnataka for informing the police about illegal cattle traders. An FIR was filed with Kanakpura Police Station. FIR NO 180/2016.

They were attacked by cattle smuggler Ali Madat on separate occasions:

Kunigal in Karnataka's Tumkur: On spotting a vehicle stuffed with cattle being taken for slaughter, the women informed the police but the police were late in reaching the spot. The women were attacked in the interim. An FIR was lodged with the Kunigal Police Station. FIR No: 442/2016

Outside J.C Nagar Police station limits in Bengaluru: Kavita Jain's car was attacked by meat mafia goons as she was informing the police about an illegal cattle smuggling taking place. A case was lodged with the J.C. Nagar Police Station. FIR No: 110/2016.

Attacked near Nelamangla Police Station in Bengaluru: Kavita Jain was attacked one morning near Navyuga toll by cattle mafia goons. Her vehicle was blocked, rear glass broken and sharp objects were hurled at her. She informed the police about the illegal smuggling taking place. A case has been filed. FIR No: 93/2016.

AWBI officers Joshine Anthony and Kavita Jain were attacked with bats by cattle smuggler Munnawar Khan's goons in front of Maddur Police Station in Karnataka's Mandya district. Case lodged with Maddur Police Station. FIR NO: 484/2016.

The camera of the lady AWBI officer, which had photos of cattle being trafficked illegally in a truck clicked as evidence of smuggling, was snatched and broken by a mob of around 50-odd people in front of the police. The cops were threatened to leave the police station and never return. A case has been lodged. FIR No: 303/2013.

Women were also attacked in front of police officials by a mob of around 200 people in Bangalore's HAL (HINDUSTAN AERONAUTICS LIMITED) compound where animals were being loaded for slaughter to counter an attempt to raid a slaughterhouse in the vicinity. Bikes and cars were torched. A lady activist also survived a rape bid narrowly as the mob tried to tear her clothes off.

In the above cases, even when police was informed of illegalities in their jurisdiction, no action was taken, indicating a strong nexus between the police and the rampant meat-mafia in India.

Also read | PIL filed in Bombay High Court seeking 24-hour helpline against cow vigilantes

Also read | Nagpur BJP man attacked by cow vigilantes was carrying beef, say police

ALSO WATCH VIDEO