A sessions court in Kalol in Gujarat has sentenced three men to rigorous life imprisonment for cow slaughter and attempting to sell the meat, in a case that began with the seizure of 277 kg of beef worth Rs 55,000 during a police raid in August 2024, IANS reported. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 2 lakh on each convict.

Source: IANS via The Freedom Press

Additional Sessions Judge B R Rajput found Wasim Qureshi of Juhapura, Mahmad Rafiq Qureshi of Behrampura and Asfaq Bahelim of Fatehwadi guilty under the Gujarat Animal Preservation (Amendment) Act and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, according to the report.

Additional Public Prosecutor Jignesh Joshi said police had arrested six people in connection with the case. On August 22, 2024, police raided the house of Lalabhai Senma in Jamla village and seized the 277 kg of beef from the three men. Weapons allegedly used for the slaughter and a vehicle used to transport the meat were also recovered, and the investigation found that the accused planned to sell the meat to Ghulam Moin Qureshi, the report said. After the trial, the court convicted three of the six accused.

Source: IANS via The Freedom Press

While pronouncing the sentence, Judge Rajput referred to ancient Sanskrit texts and the Vedas to underline the cultural significance of cow protection. "The cow is considered the mother of the universe. It is useful for human life and society. Protecting cows is an act associated with religion and compassion. Wherever cow slaughter takes place, legal action should be taken. If the guilt of the accused is established by the evidence, appropriate punishment should be awarded to them," the court observed, according to the report.

In its judgment, the court noted that the convicts had slaughtered a cow and attempted to sell its meat despite being aware of the animal's cultural significance, and observed that failure to impose the prescribed punishment could threaten the existence of cows. The three men were then sentenced to rigorous life imprisonment along with the fines.