NEW DELHI: In the early hours of Saturday, a cow vigilante named Sonu Sarpanch from Rewari district was allegedly shot by cattle smugglers near Mahu-Chopta village in Nuh district, Haryana, according to the police. Sonu was immediately taken to a private hospital in Faridabad and later transferred to Medanta Medicity in Gurugram for further treatment.
Narendra Bijarnia, the Superintendent of Police in Nuh, stated that the incident occurred on the Delhi-Mumbai expressway when the cow vigilantes were pursuing a vehicle belonging to the cattle smugglers.He added that an FIR will be registered based on the complaint received.
Chaman Khatana, another cow vigilante, recounted that the incident took place around 4:45 am on Saturday when a group of seven cow vigilantes chased the smugglers’ pick-up jeep. The jeep overturned near Mau-Chopta village, and the smugglers attempted to flee on foot. One of the smugglers was caught by the vigilantes, and when Sonu apprehended another, the remaining smugglers opened fire, critically injuring Sonu with a bullet wound to his stomach.
Following the incident, cow vigilantes gathered outside the Medanta hospital, expressing their anger and demanding protection for their fellow vigilantes. Kulbhushan Bhardwaj, a leader of a Hindu outfit, called for the provision of licensed weapons to cow vigilantes.
