Exclusive: The Making of a Gau Rakshak
In June 2015, viral footage of a Gau Rakshak beating a man changed his life and the life of his victim forever.
Published:
Vivek Premi riding his Royal Enfield Bullet 350 in Shamli, UP. (Photo Credit: The Quint)
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi has described Gau Rakshaks as criminals running “cow protection shops”. Yet, these shops are manned by young men created in his own image: ambitious media-savvy youth like Vivek Premi, who have acquired fame, power and influence by advertising their acts of violence. In June 2015, footage of Premi flogging a helpless Muslim labourer – for allegedly stealing a cow – went viral. This is the story of the diverging fates of two lives captured in a documentary short.
Video Editor: Hitesh Singh
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