The local residents in Bihar’s Bhojpur on Thursday allegedly thrashed three men on suspicion that they were transporting prohibited meat in a truck. (Representative photo: Reuters)

A week after JD(U) joined hands once again with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to form the state government in Bihar, the first case of cow vigilantism surfaced in the state, as per the report by Indian Express. The local residents in Bihar’s Bhojpur on Thursday allegedly thrashed three men on suspicion that they were transporting prohibited meat in a truck. The police said that the truck which was intercepted near Shahpur has been seized and the samples of meat have been sent for laboratory tests. However, the police also said that those who intercepted the truck are yet to be identified. Meanwhile, as per the report, the police have arrested the three men who were identified as Sarfuddin Khan and Ajmulllah Khan from Bikramganj and Gulam Khan of Hariharganj in Rohtas district and booked them under provisions of the 1955 Act. Police suspect that the truck, which was bound for West Bengal, was carrying buffalo meat. According to the Bihar Preservation and Improvement of Animals Act, 1955, cow and buffalo slaughter is banned in the state.

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Sub Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), Jagdishpur, Daya Shanker was quoted by Indian Express as saying, “Only the driver suffered a minor injury. Local youths beat up the driver, and there was no law-and-order problem as such. We promptly intervened and seized the truck, and sent the meat sample for laboratory tests.”

Meanwhile, in the wake of the incident, the Opposition lashed out at BJP stating that ‘when the saffron party is in power’ it’s obvious for these incidents to occur. ANI quoted Communist Party of India (Marxist) CPM General Secretary as saying, “It is a clear confirmation that BJP has assumed power in Bihar. Now, only Hindutva policies will be implemented while he (Nitish Kumar) continues to remain as the Chief Minister. Lynching and mob violence have entered Bihar as soon as the BJP came to power there.”