Rajasthan: 'Cow vigilantes' gherao Jaipur hotel over beef rumour

Chaos prevailed at Jaipur's Sindhi Camp area on Sunday after a group of self-styled cow vigilantes seald off a hotel accusing its owner of serving beef. The protesters gheraod Hotel Hayat Rabbani while shouting patriotic slogans to demand strict action against its owner and staff. 

According to media reports, one of the complainants was trying to round up stray cows near the eatery a hotel staff arrived there to dispose off food waste.

The complainant charged him of feeding cows with leftover beef. The dispute snowballed when other cow protestors joined her. 

The police later searched hotel owner's residence but could not find him and picked up one of his relatives for questioning. Two hotel staffs were also booked under Section 151 of the Criminal Procedure Code (arrest to prevent commission of cognizable offences).

“We have collected the meat sample from the hotel and it will be sent to the forensic science laboratory (FSL) for testing to verify the claims that beef was being served,” deputy commissioner of police (west) Ashok Gupta said told reporters.

Killing of cows, bulls and bullocks as well as possession and transportation of their flesh is banned in Rajasthan where the BJP government has set up a cow department for the welfare of the animal which is considered sacred by many Hindus.