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Two Muslim men caught transporting beef have been forced to eat a mix of cow dung , urine, milk and curd in a bid by Hindu fundamentalists to 'purify them'.

Hindus consider cattle sacred in their religion and the activists wanted to teach the men a lesson for transporting the 'holy meat'.

The incident took place on the Kundil - Manesar - Palwal Expressway near the city of Faridabad in northern India’s State of Haryana.

The pair were transporting 700 kilogrammes (1,543 lbs) of beef along the road until members of the Gau Rakshak Dal - a self-proclaimed cow protection group in the region - acted on a tip-off and seized the two Muslim men.

(Image: CEN)

The footage shows the pair sitting on the road being forced to eat panchagavya - a concoction of which includes cow dung, urine, milk, ghee and curd - with the help of a little bottle of water.

The duo - who appear to have also undergone a beating - clearly struggle and towards the end of the video they both vomit onto the tarmac.

Dharmendra Yadav, president of the Gau Rakshak Dal - who was apparently present during the ordeal - told local media: "When we caught them, they had 700 kilogrammes of beef in their car.

"We made them eat the panchagavya to teach them a lesson, and also to purify them."

(Image: CEN)

The activists claimed the pair were then turned over to police, who have since arrested them under the local Prohibition of Cow Slaughter Act.

Anil Kumar, Station House Officer (SHO) at the Sarai Khwaja police station in Faridabad has confirmed that the two are currently in custody pending charges.

In Haryana the illegal consumption or transport of beef can be punished by up to ten years in prison and a 100,000 Indian Rupees (£1,100) fine.