Bhubaneswar: Cow vigilantes in Palasuni locality of Odisha’s capital city, Bhubaneswar attacked four dairy farmers on Saturday demanding money to transport cows.
The attack that led to the death of a calf took place when Bichitrandra Behera of Alipingal village in Jagatsinghpur district and other dairy farmers were transporting through Palasuni the cows they purchased from Andhra Pradesh under the Kamadhenu Yojana, www.siasat.com reported.
The government of Odisha introduced five-year Kamadhenu Yojana initiative to boost the state’s milk production.
‘As we passed through Palasuni, vigilantes blocked our vehicles and began abusing us. When we resisted, they beat us mercilessly,’ Behera was quoted as saying.
He said that cow vigilantes, rejecting their valid documents, attacked them for being Muslims and demanded money.
‘They hurled communal insults, attacked us, and in the chaos, a calf died. Who will take responsibility? We demand stringent action,’ Bichitrandra Behera added.
When the police rushed to scene after one of the farmers alerted them, the attackers fled.
However, the farmers protested against the cow vigilantes by placing the calf’s carcass on the road.
This is the second attack in ten days following a similar assault on dairy farmers at Baramunda on August 28.
Condemning the attack, Odisha Milk Farmers’ Association president, Rabi Behera, said: ‘These vigilantes are systematically targeting milk producers, often for extortion. With the BJP government in power, their violence has increased while the police remain silent. Poor milkmen are being terrorised. The government must act decisively against the vigilantes to send a strong message.’