Haryana farmers protest 'extortion' bid by cow vigilantes

Tribune News Service

Deepender Deswal

Hisar, May 11

The failure of the police to arrest cow vigilantes, booked for assault and attempted extortion of a farmer, who was taking his cattle from Sirsa to Nagaur in Rajasthan for a cattle fair on May 1, has led to resentment among farmers.

Opinion: Dubious enforcers of the law: Allowing cow vigilantes to go on the rampage reflects badly on the police

Farmer activists, led by the Kisan Sangharsh Samiti, today protested at the mini secretariat, demanding the arrest of the vigilantes. “The delay in the arrest of the accused who had been named in the FIR indicates that the police are under pressure. They registered the FIR after farmers held a dharna outside the Sadar police station on May 1 as the police were trying to hush up the matter,” claimed Mandeep Nathwan, a farmer.

He said they wanted a crackdown on those who were harassing innocent persons and resorting to extortion in the name of cow protection.

Bir Singh, the “victim” farmer, had stated in an FIR that his vehicle was stopped by some persons in a Bolero on the Arya Nagar-Ludas road in Hisar district at about 11.30 pm. Five-seven persons were in an inebriated condition and allowed two vehicles carrying cattle to pass after extorting money from the occupants. He alleged that they demanded Rs 10,000 from him to let his vehicle pass.

When he refused to do so, they assaulted him and his aides. The vigilantes later called the police, and Bir Singh was taken to the police station. After farmer organisations learnt about the incident, they sat on a dharna and demanded registration of a case. Seven accused, two of them Goputra Sena activists, were booked.

The SHO said, “We have also received complaints from Goputra Sena. Action will be taken after a proper inquiry.”

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