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Hindu vigilantes rampage through Indian village over cow deaths, murdering two and torching cars

  • Hundreds of villagers, angered over the deaths of the sacred animals in Uttar Pradesh, killed a senior police officer and a civilian
  • Police fired into the air to deter the crowd, which pelted them with stones

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Smouldering vehicles litter the street following mob violence in Chingravati village in the Bulandshahr district of Uttar Pradesh. Photo: AFP

A violent mob rampaged through villages in northern India on Monday after the discovery of suspected cow carcasses, setting vehicles ablaze and murdering two people including a senior police officer.

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Police fired shots in the air as hundreds of villagers, incensed over the death of the sacred animals, threw stones at officers sent to quell the violence in Bulandhahr district’s Chingravati village in northern Uttar Pradesh state. The village is located just 130km (81 miles) from New Delhi.

Cows are considered sacred by many Hindus and some accused of slaughtering the beasts have been lynched by vigilante mobs in the past.

An Indian policeman looks on after receiving treatment for a head injury following mob violence at Chingravati village. Photo: AFP
An Indian policeman looks on after receiving treatment for a head injury following mob violence at Chingravati village. Photo: AFP

Anand Kumar, an additional director general of Uttar Pradesh state police, said word spread quickly in Bulandshahr district when carcasses believed to be cows were found dumped near a village.

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“These were suspected cow carcasses and the villagers were angry about it,” said Kumar. “There were around 400 people from three neighbouring villages. They indulged in heavy stone pelting and arson. Police baton-charged and tried to bring the situation under control.

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