The district’s animal husbandry department told The Hindu that the now seized contentious meat is likely to be that of a camel and not cow which fuelled the violence, allegedly at the behest of vigilante right wing groups.

In yet another incident of mob violence over rumoured possession of beef in close proximity to the national Capital, several people were injured in violent clashes in Haryana’s Palwal on Thursday morning.

The district’s animal husbandry department told The Hindu that the now seized contentious meat is likely to be that of a camel and not cow which fuelled the violence, allegedly at the behest of vigilante right wing groups.

The injured include at least five policemen and several members of the aggressive mob as well as a helper whose thrashing started the chain of violence.

Palwal District Magistrate Ashok Kumar Meena said that around 8 a.m. the truck carrying meat from Mewat to Uttar Pradesh’s Aligarh via Palwal was intercepted by a large crowd. While the driver of the truck managed to flee, the helper was thrashed.

They alleged that the meat carried in the truck was sourced from cows and was hurtful to their religious sentiments. Some of them made a claim that the meat was being transported in connivance with policemen who had been bribed off to facilitate the movement of beef.

They also damaged the truck by the time the police intervened. However, upon reaching the police failed to prevent to control the crowds which resorted to violent ways including hurling stones at the policemen on the ground.

At this the policemen called for reinforcements and in between and even after the additional deployment arrived, the crowd had turned more aggressive and kept injuring the policemen, said local sources. The violence continued for over five hours, said Mr. Meena.

Dr. Lalit Bhushan from Palwal’s District Animal Husbandry office said the meat appeared to be of a camel but the samples seized would be tested further for confirmation. He said camel skin and other parts were also there in the truck.

Police said that a rioting case as well as one under provisions pertaining to overloading and permit violation of meat was in the process of being registered.

In Dadri’s Bishara village on September 28, a 50-year-old Mohammad Akhlaq was lynched and his son Danish (22) was brutally beaten up as ‘punishment’ for allegedly eating beef and 'storing it' for later consumption.