GANDHINAGAR: A sessions court in Gujarat’s Gandhinagar district has sentenced three men to rigorous life imprisonment in a cow slaughter case, citing Hindu scriptures including the Vedas and the Manusmriti while discussing the religious and cultural significance of cows.
Additional Sessions Judge Brijeshkumari Rameshwarsinh Rajput delivered the judgment on Monday at the court in Kalol. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 3 lakh on each of the three convicts, identified as Wasim Qureshi, Mohammad Rafiq Qureshi and Asfak Bahelim, according to media reports. The sentences for the offences are to run concurrently.
In the judgment, the court referred to the Manusmriti and Vedic texts, describing the cow as a symbol of religious significance and referring to its place in Hindu traditions. It cited the belief that cows are the “mother of the world” and said they are associated with 33 crore deities.
The court observed that failure to punish those found guilty of cow slaughter in accordance with the law could lead to the disappearance of cows. It said the punishment was being imposed under the applicable legal provisions.
The case arose from a police raid at a house in Jamla village in Gandhinagar district on August 22, 2024. The prosecution said police recovered around 277 kg of beef, valued at approximately Rs 55,400, along with weapons allegedly used for slaughter and a vehicle intended to transport the meat.
Six people were initially arrested in connection with the case. After the trial, the court convicted three men under the Gujarat Animal Preservation Act and provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. Two other accused were acquitted after the court found the evidence against them insufficient. The proceedings against another accused ended following his death.
Gujarat strengthened its animal-preservation law through a 2017 amendment that introduced life imprisonment for cow slaughter. The latest judgment applies the state’s existing legal provisions to the case.