Hindu Gaurakshaks violently beaten by Muslim mob for intercepting vehicle transporting cattle for slaughter in Dahod, Gujarat

Case ID : d420f49 | Location : Dahod, Gujarat, India | Date of Incident : Sat, 28 February, 2026

Case ID : d420f49

Dahod, Gujarat, India

28 February, 2026

Hindu Gaurakshaks violently beaten by Muslim mob for intercepting vehicle transporting cattle for slaughter in Dahod, Gujarat

Undecided cases

Cow smuggling and/or slaughtering

Case Summary

In the Dahod district of Gujarat, Hindu gau rakshaks were violently attacked by a Muslim mob after they intercepted a vehicle transporting cattle for slaughter. The attackers assaulted the cow protection volunteers, vandalised their vehicles, and issued threats when the activists attempted to take the seized vehicle to the police station. The incident occurred around 1–2 March 2026 in the Kasba area of Dahod after gau rakshak Kanu Dhulabhai Bharwad received information that a Bolero pickup carrying seven buffaloes was travelling along the Ahmedabad–Indore highway near Kalitalai. The animals were found tightly tied with ropes and were being transported without food or water. Acting on the information, the gau rakshaks followed the vehicle and stopped it near Patni Chowk. When the vehicle was intercepted, the driver, Abbar Qureshi and another individual, Pintu Qureshi, fled from the spot. The gau rakshaks attempted to take the vehicle along with the animals to the police station. During this process, a large group of around 50 to 60 people arrived at the location armed with sticks, pipes, and other weapons. The mob attacked the gau rakshaks, surrounded them, and began pelting stones while beating them. In the assault, Hiral Kantharia sustained serious injuries to his head, neck, and hands, while Himanshu Yadav suffered injuries to his leg, thigh, and eye. Both injured volunteers were admitted to Zydus Hospital for treatment. During the attack, the mob also vandalised the gau rakshaks’ Scorpio vehicle and a motorcycle, causing property damage estimated at around ₹1.20 lakh. The attackers further threatened the activists, warning them that if they returned to the Kasba area, they would be killed. Police from the Dahod ‘A’ Division Police Station reached the spot and brought the situation under control. The vehicle carrying the buffaloes was seized. Based on the complaint filed by Kanu Dhruva Bharwad, an FIR was registered against 12 accused, including Abbar Makrani, Pintu Qureshi, Rajak Dokila, Ansar Bhunga, Arbaaz Jada, Naeem Qureshi, Raja Patuk, Shahrukh Qureshi, Qasim, Sikandar Dalal, Sahejda Samad, and Shahbaz Bazariya. Following the investigation, police arrested seven individuals in connection with the attack, while further efforts were undertaken to identify and apprehend the remaining accused.

Why it is Hate Crime ?

The cow is considered sacred in the Hindu religion. Often, cows are slaughtered by non-Hindu perpetrators as a mark of insult to the Hindu faith. There have been several documented cases throughout history where cow slaughter is used as a method to insult the Hindu faith, convert Hindus (by force-feeding beef) and desecrate temples. Those who work towards the protection of the cow are also often attacked brutally by Muslim radicals. In all cases of cow slaughter and/or attack against those who work towards the protection of the cow, there is a suspicion of religious animosity against Hindus working as a motivating factor; however, in the absence of any concrete indication, this case is being categorised as 'undecided'. If more details emerge, it would be added to the hate crime database. Disclaimer: Media reports stated that multiple Muslims men launched the attack, but only 12 Muslims were specified, and only seven Muslim men were arrested. Therefore, the perpetrator count was recorded as twelve (12). This is a conservative estimate, as the number of perpetrators could be higher. The Hinduphobia Tracker records incidents based on when an event occurred or when the crime occurred, rather than when it is reported by the media. However, in this case, the media sources specified the exact date as 1st or 2nd March 2026, when the crime occurred. Therefore, for documentation purposes, the date, 1 March 2026, is selected as the indicative incident date. This is recorded for documentation purposes only.