A Dalit man in Maharashtra's Jalna was assaulted by a group of cow vigilantes. They forcibly fed him cow dung after intercepting his vehicle while he was returning home with a bull.
Police have registered a case against six people in connection with the incident, which took place on May 23.
The case came to light after a video of the incident began circulating on social media.
The victim, identified as Parameshwar Suhas Hiwale, told police that he had purchased the bull from a weekly cattle market in Deulgaon Raja and was travelling back to Jalna with his 11-year-old son and an acquaintance, Narayan Maroti Kamble.
According to Hiwale's complaint, the group intercepted their vehicle in the Kanhaiyanagar area and claimed to be members of the Bajrang Dal and cow protectors. They accused him of planning to sell the bull to a Muslim butcher.
Hiwale said he denied the allegation and showed the group documents relating to the animal's purchase. He said that the men then slapped him, hurled caste-related abuse at him after asking his caste, and forcibly stuffed cow dung into his mouth.
He also said that the group tried to force cow dung into his son's mouth, but he resisted. Kamble was abused and assaulted, while their vehicle was damaged.
Hiwale told police that one of the accused recorded the incident and threatened him and his family with serious consequences if they approached the police.
After learning that a video was circulating on Instagram, Hiwale approached Jalna Tehsil police station on August 21.
Police Inspector Santosh Sable said a case had been registered under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including wrongful restraint, voluntarily causing hurt and unlawful assembly, as well as the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Additional Superintendent of Police Vikram Sali said a sub-divisional police officer was investigating the case.
No arrests have been made so far.