- Gandhinagar court sentenced three to life for cow slaughter.
- Judge cited Hindu scriptures, emphasizing cow's religious significance.
- Verdict lauded by Deputy CM, reinforces Gujarat's stringent law.
A court in Gujarat's Gandhinagar district has convicted three people and sentenced them to life in a cow slaughter case. While pronouncing the verdict, the judge cited Hindu scriptures to highlight the religious significance of the cow.
Additional Sessions Judge BR Rajput, in his judgement on Monday, also imposed a fine of Rs 3 lakh on the convicts Vasim Qureshi, Mohammad Rafiq Qureshi, and Asfaq Bahelim.
Quoting Manusmriti, the court observed that the cow is not merely an animal but a 'pillar of material prosperity and dharma' (righteousness).
The judge said, "Sage Manu entrusted the primary responsibility for the protection and care of cattle to the Vaishya class. Furthermore, in the context of Arsha Vivaha (a traditional form of Vedic marriage), the pair -- a cow and a bull -- holds special significance."
He also quoted the Vedas and other Hindu scriptures, saying that when drops of "amrita" (nectar) fell to the earth through the power of penance, the divine cow Kamadhenu emerged. The Kamadhenu came to be regarded as the progenitor of all bovine species on earth.
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"The cow is regarded as the "mother of the world", serving as an abode for 33 crore deities. Her four legs are symbolic of the four Vedas," the court remarked.
The case stems from a raid at a house in Jamla village of Gandhinagar district on August 22, 2024. During the rain, 227 kg of beef and weapons used to slaughter cows were recovered. The police had also recovered a vehicle used to transport the meat. Six accused were arrested during the raid.
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The prosecution stated that a father-son duo would purchase non-lactating cows and would call four individuals from Ahmedabad to slaughter the cows for financial gains.
The accused would then sell the beef to one Ghulam Moin. After the trial, the court found three out of six accused guilty. 54 witnesses and 18 pieces of documentary evidences during the trial
Harsh Sanghavi lauds verdict
Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi hailed the verdict, calling it a clear message that the law will never spare those who commit cow slaughter in the state.
Reacting to the verdict, Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi congratulated the Gandhinagar police and the prosecution for the "accurate investigation and presenting strong evidence."
He said, "This verdict under the Gujarat Animal Preservation Act is a clear message that the law will never spare those who commit cow slaughter in Gujarat. Protecting the cow mother is Gujarat's unwavering resolve. Congratulations to the Gandhinagar Police and the government side for the accurate investigation and presenting strong evidence."
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In 2017, the Gujarat government brought an amendment to the Gujarat Animal Preservation Act, 1954, enhancing punishment for those found guilty of cow slaughter to life imprisonment. The amendment made Gujarat the first state in the country to make cow slaughter punishable with such a sentence. For transportation, storage or sale of beef, the law has a provision of ten-year imprisonment.
(With PTI Inputs)