A disturbing case of mob violence has emerged from Devarakadra town in Telangana’s Mahabubnagar district, where a group of self-proclaimed gau rakshaks attacked a cattle transporter and coerced him into chanting religious slogans. The victim, identified as Hassain, was driving a DCM vehicle loaded with cattle from Choudharpally village to Mahabubnagar when he was intercepted by vigilantes traveling in a Scorpio SUV and on motorcycles. The incident occurred at Choudharpally Gate, where the attackers forcibly halted the vehicle and began assaulting the driver on suspicion of illegal cattle transport.
The incident came to public attention on Friday, June 6, after a video of the assault surfaced on social media, sparking widespread outrage. In the video, the mob can be seen repeatedly slapping the driver and forcing him to chant “Jai Shri Ram” slogans. The video raises serious concerns about the growing trend of vigilantism in the name of cow protection, especially in a region known for its sensitive communal fabric. Hassain, visibly traumatized, later approached the Devarakadra police station and filed a formal complaint against the group of attackers.
Following the complaint, police registered a case and launched an investigation into the incident. While authorities have confirmed the registration of the FIR, they have not yet made any arrests or publicly identified the culprits. The incident has once again reignited debate around the unchecked power of gau rakshak groups and the implications of their actions on law and order. Civil society members and human rights activists have called for swift legal action and accountability, warning that silence or inaction could embolden such vigilantism across the state.
