The Attackers Asked If We Eat Cow Meat: Victim of Haryana Gangrape

The Haryana police denies any evidence of cow vigilantism in the incident.

Signatures on an anti-rape banner. Image used for representation. (Photo: Reuters)

On 24 August, four men allegedly barged into a home in Mewat, Haryana and gangraped two women. One of the victims now alleges that the incident was motivated by cow vigilantism.

They (attackers) asked us ‘you eat cow meat’? We said ‘no’. They then said ‘you eat cow meat’. They said ‘we are killing you because you eat cow’. We told this to the police but they are not doing anything.

The family of the victims alleged that they had informed the police personnel about the cow vigilantes but they chose to ignore it. The Haryana police, however, maintain that neither the women nor their family had mentioned it before.

A 20-year-old woman and her 14-year-old cousin were gang-raped by the group of men. A couple – their uncle and aunt – were tied up and then beaten to death.

The four arrested men are known troublemakers in the village and had been seen drinking the morning of the attack.

A cousin of the victims speaking to <i>NDTV</i>

Police said that the investigation in the case is still on and so far they have not found any link with cow vigilantes.

Inspector General of Police, Rewari Mehta said that investigations in the case are continuing. She said that the case has been recommended to be transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation.

The four accused were arrested on 28 August. The accused had also ransacked the house, an isolated structure located in the middle of farmland, and fled with some valuables including cash.

(With inputs from PTI and NDTV)