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Gujarat Court Sentences Three to Life for Cow Slaughter

By Drooid · Oct 30, 2026 · How we work

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Summary

A Gujarat court sentenced three men to rigorous life imprisonment for cow slaughter.
Vasim Qureshi, Mohammad Rafiq Qureshi and Asfaq Bahelim each received a INR3 lakh fine.
Police seized 277 kg of beef during an August 22, 2024 raid in Jamla village.
The 2017 amendment to the Gujarat Animal Preservation Act made life imprisonment mandatory for cow slaughter.
The judgment quoted Manusmriti, the Vedas and other Hindu texts to emphasize the cow’s sanctity.

Summary

Alleged Hindutva members assaulted two Muslim buffalo traders and a driver in Damoh district, Madhya Pradesh.
The mob tied the victims, dragged them through a field and beat them with sticks.
Attackers claimed the buffaloes were stolen, linking the assault to communal tensions.
Investigators are using video evidence to identify and arrest several assailants.

History

The 2002 Gujarat riots began after the Godhra train fire on 27 February 2002, killing 58 Hindu pilgrims and sparking statewide attacks that left 1,044 people dead and over 2,500 injured. Chief Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP and the VHP were accused of enabling the anti-Muslim violence. That episode created a precedent for later communal prosecutions, including today’s cow-slaughter sentencing and a Madhya Pradesh mob assault.

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The 2002 Gujarat riots began after the Godhra train fire on 27 February 2002, killing 58 Hindu pilgrims and sparking statewide attacks that left 1,044 people dead and over 2,500 injured. Chief Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP and the VHP were accused of enabling the anti-Muslim violence. That episode created a precedent for later communal prosecutions, including today’s cow-slaughter sentencing and a Madhya Pradesh mob assault.

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