UP: Cow vigilantes assault Muslim man accusing possession of beef

Ghaziabad: A Muslim man identified as Salim was allegedly assaulted by a mob of self-styled cow vigilantes in Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad after being suspected of carrying beef, adding to a growing list of vigilante attacks targeting minorities across India.

The incident, which took place in Shastri Nagar, came to public attention after a video of the assault circulated on social media. The attackers reportedly identified themselves as cow vigilantes. Police reached the spot, seized the meat allegedly being transported for forensic examination and took Salim into custody. An investigation has been launched, though authorities have not yet disclosed the results of the forensic analysis or officially confirmed whether the seized meat was beef.

The assault comes amid continuing concerns over cow vigilantism, with rights groups documenting repeated attacks on Muslims and Dalits involved in the cattle trade. Research cited by Reuters indicates that the overwhelming majority of recorded cow-related attacks since 2010 occurred after 2014, following the BJP's rise to power at the Centre.

The latest incident follows several similar cases reported in recent years. In August last year, migrant labourer Sabir Malik from West Bengal was lynched in Haryana's Charkhi Dadri after being accused of consuming beef. Around the same time, an elderly Muslim passenger was assaulted aboard a train by men who alleged he was carrying beef, with the attack also captured on video.

Researchers monitoring political violence have identified cow vigilantism as a major driver of attacks by Hindu groups against Muslim civilians, pointing to the continued operation of informal cow-protection groups that often face little legal accountability.