SC nose-rings cow vigilantes - Appoint officers, states told

TT, New Delhi, Sept. 6: The Supreme Court today directed all states and Union territories to appoint special nodal officers drawn from police in each district to tackle the menace of cow vigilantism.

The directive came after additional solicitor-general Tushar Mehta, who appeared for Haryana, Rajasthan and Maharashtra, said the three states had appointed special nodal officers in each district to deal with such vigilante squads.

The court, which was dealing with a batch of petitions filed by some individuals and NGOs, also said all state chief secretaries, in coordination with the police chief concerned, should ensure that highways were kept free of vigilante squads.

The bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices Amitava Roy and A.M. Khanwilkar will hear the matter again on September 22.

The bench also urged the various counsel not to politicise the issue. "You know how (a) large number of animals were slaughtered just a few days ago," it said in an oral observation, apparently referring to last week's Bakr-Id festival. "You must also file petitions against it."

It was not clear why the court made this observation because animal slaughter is not illegal.

Senior advocate Colin Gonzalves, who appeared for the NGO Khudai Khidmatgaar, had told the bench the court must act firmly against cow vigilantes who have been targeting those suspected of transporting or consuming beef.

The NGO claimed it had done extensive research by visiting spots where cow-related assaults had taken place and had in its possession material related to over 47 incidents of lynching, assault and intimidation. "The incidents that have happened are not isolated or unconnected, rather, are part of a well thought out plan by vested interests. The conspiracy invariably begins at the top where politically senior persons and senior religious leaders have instigated their followers to attack and kill Muslims, Dalits and alleged beef-eaters," it said.

Among the other petitioners were Congress leaders Shezad Poonawala and Teheseen Poonawala and Mahatma Gandhi's great-grandson Tushar Gandhi.

The court refrained from dealing with the murder of senior journalist Gauri Lankesh, which Gonzalves had cited as another instance of the growing cult of intolerance. It said the lawyer could approach the high court.