'Cow vigilantes’ force truck helper to eat dung in Pune district; case filed, 2 held

Pune, Mar 9 (PTI) A group of self-proclaimed cow vigilantes allegedly assaulted and forced a Muslim truck helper to eat cow dung in Pune district after they intercepted a vehicle transporting buffaloes on the Mumbai-Bengaluru Highway, police said on Monday.

Police have filed an FIR against three cow vigilantes for promoting enmity in connection with last week's incident, during which the vehicle's driver was also assaulted, and arrested two of them, an official said.

A video purportedly showing the trio forcing the truck helper to eat cow dung has gone viral on social media, drawing sharp reactions.

Police said the three cow vigilantes -- Bipasha alias Akash Manikam, Hemant Gaikwad, and Viraj Sole -- intercepted a truck carrying buffaloes near Ambegaon on the Mumbai-Bengaluru Highway in the early hours of March 6.

The trio allegedly assaulted the truck driver and his helper, alleging they were transporting the buffaloes on forged documents, they said.

"We initially registered a non-cognizable (NC) offence against the three cow vigilantes after the driver claimed he and his assistant were assaulted. Later, a video surfaced online in which the three accused were seen forcing the assistant to eat cow dung and making derogatory remarks against him and his religion," said an officer from the Ambegaon police station in Pune district.

"When we asked the truck helper why he had not informed police about the incident (of being forced to eat cow dung) when the NC was registered, he said he was scared," said the officer.

Later, based on the video and the helper's statement, police registered an FIR against Manikam, Sole, and Gaikwad under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 196 (promoting enmity between different groups) and 299 (deliberate act to outrage religious feelings), among others, he informed.

"We have so far arrested Manikam and Gaikwad, and further probe was underway," the officer stated. PTI SPK RSY