Durgapur, West Bengal : In a disturbing display of vigilantism, four Muslim cattle traders were assaulted and paraded by a group of BJP members in Durgapur, West Bengal. The incident took place just 200 metres from a local police station, raising questions about law enforcement’s role and presence during the attack, reported the India Today.
According to eyewitnesses and video footage circulating online, the mob tied the hands of the traders and publicly paraded them, accusing them of smuggling 20 cows in a truck. The victims, residents of Jemua village near Durgapur, maintained that they had legally purchased the cattle from a market in Bankura and possessed all necessary documentation.
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Despite their claims, the attackers falsely labeled the men as “Bangladeshis” in an apparent attempt to intensify the communal narrative. The violent mob action was reportedly led by local BJP leader Parijat Ganguly, who later claimed that the group’s intention was to prevent cattle smuggling. He denied any direct involvement in the physical assault, suggesting instead that local villagers acted out of anger.
West Bengal Police, responding on social media platform X, confirmed the assault and announced the arrest of two individuals. “Two persons belonging to the minority community, while carrying cattle for farming purposes, were detained and severely beaten up yesterday in Durgapur by some hooligans linked to a particular political party. A case has been registered, and raids are ongoing to arrest all those involved. None will be spared,” the statement read.
Local leaders from the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), including Narendranath Chakraborty, strongly condemned the incident and visited the victims to express solidarity. They have called for swift and strict action against the perpetrators.
The attack has once again highlighted the growing trend of mob violence targeting minorities under the pretext of cow protection, with human rights groups raising alarms over such politically motivated assaults.
An official investigation is underway.
