Three Muslim men tied up, beaten over buffalo theft suspicion in MP; two arrested, police book victims too

Millat Times Desk

30 October 2026 (Publish: 01:01 PM IST)

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Two Muslim buffalo traders and a vehicle driver were allegedly tied up, dragged through a field and beaten with sticks by a group of men on suspicion of cattle theft in Madhya Pradesh’s Damoh district. Police have arrested two people in connection with the assault but have also registered a separate case against the injured men, the driver and the vehicle owner under animal cruelty provisions.

The incident took place on the evening of October 26 in Hardua village under the Hindoriya police station limits. The victims were identified as Abid Qureshi, Hasan Qureshi and Hussain Khan, who were transporting seven buffaloes from Damoh to a cowshed in neighbouring Sagar district.

Videos circulating on social media show the men being tied up and assaulted by a group of people. According to Hasan Qureshi, the group stopped their pickup vehicle, accused them of stealing buffaloes and forcibly pulled them out. He alleged that the attackers tied their hands and legs with ropes and beat them with sticks. He also claimed that the men were stripped down to their undergarments and forced to chant religious slogans and make statements about cow slaughter.

Speaking to reporters from the hospital, Abid Qureshi said they had shown purchase receipts to establish that the buffaloes were not stolen, but the attackers did not listen.

“They did not listen to us, so we started running around to save ourselves, but they caught us. They beat us up badly, even though we kept saying that the buffaloes were not stolen,” he said.

Damoh Superintendent of Police Anand Kaladagi confirmed that two people had been arrested based on video footage of the assault. Police have registered an FIR against unidentified persons under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and are examining the footage to identify others involved.

However, police have also registered a separate case against the traders, driver and vehicle owner, alleging that more than seven to eight animals were being transported in a vehicle designed to carry only one or two and that the animals were in poor condition.

The injured men have alleged that the attackers were associated with Bajrang Dal. Their affiliation has not been independently established.

Meanwhile, members of the Muslim community staged a demonstration outside the Superintendent of Police’s office, demanding strict action against those responsible for the assault.

Police are investigating the assault, the allegations of animal cruelty and the circumstances surrounding the transportation of the buffaloes.