Beware of Leather Bags! Mumbai Man Threatened by Gau Rakshaks

Barun Kashyap claims he was harassed over a leather bag which the men mistook for a bag made out of cow hide.
Hansa Malhotra
India
Published:
Barun Kashyap was allegedly harassed by self-styled gau rakshaks in Mumbai. (Photo Courtesy: Facebook/ Barun Kashyap)
Barun Kashyap was allegedly harassed by self-styled gau rakshaks in Mumbai. (Photo Courtesy: Facebook/<a href="https://www.facebook.com/barunkashyap.bhuyan?fref=nf&amp;pnref=story"> Barun Kashyap</a>)
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It’s safe to say that carrying a leather bag is not the best decision to take anymore.

A self-proclaimed gau rakshak can spot you, hound you and be brazen about doing both.

Barun Kashyap, a creative director at a production house in Mumbai was travelling to work, like any other day, when he had his brush with cow vigilantism in Mumbai. Kashyap’s leather bag became the tool for harassment, as claimed by him in his Facebook post.

Screenshot of Barun Kashyap’s Facebook post. (Photo Courtesy: Facebook/ Barun Kashyap)

Describing his ordeal, Kashyap wrote that after looking at his bag the auto driver concluded that it was made of cow hide and continuously prodded him about it.

Even after Kashyap rebuked the driver, he accused the Mumbaikar of “encouraging cow slaughter.”

And that was just the start.

The auto driver parked the auto outside a temple, after which three other cow protectors came towards Kashyap asking him about his caste.

“The guy looked at the other two and said something in Marathi out of which I could only understand the word ‘’ Brahmin’’. Maybe hearing Kashyap, they thought I am a Brahmin. They left the site after bidding farewell to the autowala, the fellow cow protector.”

After Kashyap managed to escape further harassment, the driver stopped him and said “Aaj to bach gaye” (you were saved today.)

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The post obviously drew a host of reactions.

Screenshot of reactions on Barun Kashyap’s Facebook post. (Photo Courtesy: Facebook/ Barun Kashyap)

On Saturday Kashyap approached the police, who filed a non-cognizable complaint (NC) against three men. When asked why only an NC was filed , a police officer said it was because “there was no physical harm done to Kashyap,” reported The Times of India.

Apparently, it will probably take a lot more than Modi’s speeches to contain gau rakshaks in the country.

Source: Facebook and The Times of India

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