This refers to the editorial, “Uphold vigilante justice” (September 9). While the Supreme Court's call to prevent cow vigilantism is welcome, one also expects that the apex court shows similar sensitivity towards deadly attacks carried out by cattle smugglers which is on the rise. In a latest instance, few Hyderabadi and Delhiite tourists were on a holiday in Odisha, where they were attacked when they noticed and questioned some cattle-smugglers who were beating up and some bound cattle. Cattle raiding is taking place across India for long. This even in places like Vrindavan, where cows are a symbol of divinity because of lord Krishna’s fondness towards them. Armed thieves are making money by smuggling cows, often with connivance of authorities. Besides, we have seen in the past how cattle stuffed horrifyingly in railway bogies, were smuggled to Bangladesh.
The mushrooming of illegal slaughter houses and brazen cattle theft by traffickers can be alleged to the liberal subsidies and the consequent rise in demand for meat, generated by the ‘pink revolution’ launched during the Congress rule. In fact, contrary to general belief ie, the business of beef traders is getting hit, there has been a rise in beef exports (mostly of buffaloes), according to the data from the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics back from 2015.