Hindu vigilantes chase cattle truck, threaten Muslim driver in India
Videos show self-styled cow protection group pursuing vehicle for nearly 100 kilometers before stopping driver and interrogating him over cattle transport
NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — A group of Hindu vigilantes chased a truck carrying cattle for nearly 100 kilometers in western India before forcing it to stop, threatening its Muslim driver and accusing him of transporting the animals for slaughter, according to videos circulating on social media.
The incident occurred on July 9 in Gujarat state’s Valsad district. Videos reviewed by local media and shared online appear to show members of a self-styled cow protection group pursuing a pickup truck before surrounding the vehicle and confronting its driver.
Social media posts identified the group as being led by Mahendra Singh Rajpurohit and alleged that some participants claimed links to the Hindu extremists organizations Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal.
In one of the videos, men are heard demanding the driver’s name, identity and destination while accusing him of taking the cattle to the neighboring state of Maharashtra for slaughter.
“Where are you taking the vehicle? Tell me your name. We’ll ‘service’ you properly. Get out of the vehicle,” one man is heard telling the driver in a threatening tone.
Posts accompanying the videos alleged that the driver was pressured to confess that the cattle were intended for slaughter. They also claimed that another vehicle traveling with the transporters was intercepted, its driver assaulted and the cattle truck seized by the vigilantes.
The footage prompted widespread criticism online, with users questioning how private groups were able to pursue vehicles on public highways, stop motorists and conduct interrogations over suspected cattle transportation offenses.
Analysts argued that any suspected violations of cattle transport laws should be investigated by law enforcement authorities rather than by self-appointed vigilante groups.
Gujarat Police had not publicly commented on the incident, and it remained unclear whether an investigation had been opened or whether any action had been taken against those seen in the videos.
Cow vigilantism has become a recurring source of violence in India over the past decade, with Hindu extremist groups frequently targeting Muslims, falsely accusing them of cattle smuggling or slaughter.
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