A cow vigilante named Sonu Sarpanch was allegedly shot at by cattle smugglers in the early hours of Saturday in Haryana's Nuh district, police told news agency PTI. The incident occured around 4:45 AM near the Mahu-Chopta village, on the Delhi-Mumbai expressway.
The victim, a native of Rewari district, was shot at when the cow vigilantes were chasing a vehicle of cattle smugglers.
After bein shot at, the victim was rushed to a private hospital in Faridabad. Therafter, he was referred to Gurugram's Medanta Medicity where he is being treated, poilce said.
Nuh Superintendent of Police Narendra Bijarnia said that a First Investigation Report would be registered into the incident on the basis of the complaint.
"The victim Sonu is undergoing treatment at Medanta Medicity," Bijarnia added.
Smugglers Opened Fire At Cow Vigilantes
A cow vigilante named Chaman Khatana stated that the incident took place around 4:45 am on Saturday when a pick-up jeep of cow smugglers was being chased by a team of seven cow vigilantes, PTI reported.
The smugglers were being chased by the cow vigilantes after receiving a tip-off, police told TOI.
Khatana further said that the pick-up jeep of the smugglers had overturned on the road situated near the village of Mau-Chopta, following which they started running away. It was then that one of them was caught by the cow vigilantes.
Subsequently, when the victim, Sonu, caught another smuggler, the other cow smugglers opened fire, injuring him critically. The victim suffered injuries after getting hit by a bullet shot in his stomach, the report noted.
"One of them suffered one bullet injury in his stomach and the suspects fled from the spot, leaving the van. The police team chased and arrested one of the suspects. We are questioning him to get details of his associates and from where they had stolen the cattle," TOI quoted the Nuh SP as saying.
'Cow Vigilantes Should Be Provided Licensed Weapons'
Upon receiving information about the firing incident, the cow vigilantes gathered outside the Medanta hospital, where the victim was admitted. Angered by the incident and attack on Sonu, they demanded protection for the cow vigilantes.
Hindu outfit leader Kulbhushan Bhardwaj stated that the cow vigilantes should be provided with licensed weapons, PTI reported.
According to the TOI report, police stated that the preliminary probe revealed that the suspects belonged to Rajasthan.
A case has been registered at the Ferozepur Jhirka police station under Sections 5, 13 (2) and 17 of the Haryana Gauvansh Sanrakshan and Gausamvardhan Act, 2015, and Section 307 (attempt to murder).