Surat: In Hathoda village, Mangrol taluka of Surat district, a confrontation between gau rakshaks (cow protectors) and a police unit dispatched to prevent cow slaughter, escalated on February 25. Local Muslim butchers allegedly attacked the team, leaving one police officer and a gau rakshak with serious injuries.
Constable Govindsingh Shivabhai Jaliya filed a First Information Report (FIR) at Kosamba police station, leading to a police operation. According to the complaint, Satyaprakash Yadav alerted authorities about cow slaughter in Kosamba. While a police team accompanied him to the site, a group of Muslim men on motorcycles verbally abused and assaulted the police, targeting a gau rakshak in civilian clothes.
The situation worsened as around 50 local butchers reportedly joined the fray, armed with swords and pipes, attacking both police and civilians. Yadav suffered a head injury, and the complainant also sustained serious wounds before being evacuated in a PCR vehicle to a hospital.
Following the incident, under orders from Surat Superintendent of Police Rajesh Gadhiya, a team led by Surat Rural Deputy Superintendent of Police BK Vanrani conducted raids in the village. A contingent of 15 police officers, including PIs and PSIs, carried out combing operations, resulting in the arrest of 22 individuals, who were taken to the Kosamba police station for further questioning.
Surat Kosamba Clash: 22 Arrested, Police Probe Ongoing
Jai Patel, Bajrang Dal coordinator and gau rakshak from Surat, stated that authorities initially detained 22 individuals, yet they reportedly showed no fear of the police. He expressed frustration that the assailants, while calling Ramzan a sacred month, engaged in violent acts. Patel also highlighted that similar incidents have recently occurred in Kosamba and other parts of Surat during the Islamic month, calling for strict enforcement against such behaviour.
In an interview, PI Khachare of Kosamba Police Station said swift action led to the arrest of 22 men, while 40 suspects have been identified in the FIR. Those booked include Usman Mirza (alias Ussu Rasool), Syed Sardar, Asif Fafdo, Atiq Aslam Master, Faisal Dabhalo (alias Faisal Pathan), Anas Jina, Irfan Alauddin Mirza, Sagir Ahmed, Nashir Malek, Riaz Maqbool Mirza, Mohammad Jan, Sabir, Sufiyan, Shahabuddin, Mohammad Abdul Wadiwala, Shahal Siraj, Zubed, Akram, Ansh, Imtiaz, Bilal, Munir and his brother Junaid, Riaz, Mohsin, Yaqoob, Tariq, Nashir Jaffer, Sajid, Akram Ayub, Imran, Sohil, Irfan, Mohammad Zakaria, Ismail Malek, and other unidentified individuals. The case has been registered under sections 109(1), 121(1), 126(2), 132, 189(4), 190, 191(2), 191(3), 195(1), 221, 296(B), and 351(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
SP Rajesh Gadhiya confirmed the arrests and noted that the investigation is ongoing to locate the remaining offenders. He stated that names previously listed as “unknown” in the FIR have now been identified, and exemplary action will be taken against those who break the law.
According to the police, six officers accompanied the informant to Hathoda village between 1:30 and 2:00 am. Using battery-powered lights, they conducted a search when six men on two motorcycles confronted them and subsequently called around 50 others. A violent attack ensued, resulting in injuries to a gau rakshak and police personnel.
The complaint has led to FIRs covering attempted murder, rioting, and obstruction of duty. DySP BK Vanrani is leading the ongoing investigation, with scientific evidence being collected in coordination with the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL). SP Gadhiya assured that strict measures will be enforced and those taking the law into their own hands will face severe consequences.
