This is the fifth incident of cow-related violence recorded in 2019, and the 128th since 2010, according to the FactChecker.in database that tracks such crimes. Of these, 98% occurred after May 2014 when the Bharatiya Janata Party and Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power. Nationwide, 71% of those attacked were Muslim and 13% were Dalit, the FactChecker.in database shows.

This is the second incident of cow-related violence in North Dinajpur district in recent years, according to our database. In June 2017, three people were lynched by villagers after they were allegedly caught stealing cows from a house.

Giyasuddin is unemployed and looks after the house. The family of eight live in Narboone village of North Dinajpur district.

Anwarul works as a labourer in New Delhi, as do three of his brothers. He had returned to Islampur to cast his vote in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections and to attend a family wedding.