Cow vigilante attack in Madhya Pradesh, dairy operator dies after assault
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A 35-year-old dairy operator from Bhopal, Junaid Qureshi, died Monday night after allegedly being assaulted during a late-night incident involving cattle transport in Raisen district.
His family claims that he was targeted and beaten by cow vigilantes.
Police have launched an investigation and filed an FIR for murder.
According to police officials, multiple individuals have been booked in connection with the incident, and at least three arrests have been made so far. Authorities, however, have not released further details.
Qureshi, a resident of Jinsi in Bhopal, reportedly ran a dairy business and was transporting seven cows and one bull along with his associate Armaan, who hails from Shyampur. The two were allegedly stopped near Mehargaon village late at night. Armaan is currently in critical condition.
The victim’s family alleges that a mob of 20–25 men intercepted the vehicle between Sanchi and Raisen, detained the two men, and subjected them to a brutal beating that lasted for hours.
“He was transporting the cows for dairy. The men stopped them in Megaon and beat them through the night,” said Mohammad Maj Qureshi, a relative of the deceased. The family further alleged that the attackers stole around ₹2 lakh during the incident.
In a parallel move, police have also registered a case against Qureshi under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and the Madhya Pradesh Prohibition of Slaughter of Cows Act. This second FIR stems from a complaint filed by a local bike workshop owner in Raisen.
According to the complainant, he and three others stopped Qureshi’s vehicle after receiving a tip-off about suspected cattle smuggling from the Rahatgarh area. He claimed the animals were “cruelly crammed” in the vehicle and were allegedly being taken to slaughterhouses in Bhopal.
He further alleged that Qureshi and Armaan failed to explain the transport and tried to flee the scene, during which they “sustained injuries when they fell while running.”
The cattle have since been relocated to Vitthal Bhai’s Gaushala in Vidisha.
