Madhya Pradesh: Muslim man beaten by cow vigilantes dies, another critical

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A Muslim man who was beaten by a group of cow vigilantes in Madhya Pradesh's Raisen district on the suspicion of transporting cattle died on Tuesday, NDTV reported
The incident occurred on June 5, when 35-year-old Junaid Qureshi, who operated a dairy business in Bhopal's Jinsi area, along with his companion, Armaan, were transporting seven cows and one bull in a pickup truck near Mehargaon village, The Indian Express reported.
Around 20 to 25 men claiming to be part of a cow protection group stopped their vehicle between Sanchi and Raisen and allegedly assaulted them, the families of the two men claimed.
'He was transporting the cows for dairy,' the newspaper quoted Mohammad Maj Qureshi, a family member, as having claimed. 'The men stopped them in Megaon and beat them through the night.'
The group also looted approximately Rs 2 lakh from the two men, the family added.
Qureshi and Armaan were taken to Bhopal's Hamidia Hospital and admitted to the intensive care unit, according to NDTV. Qureshi died on Tuesday morning, while Armaan remained critical.
Videos of the incident were widely circulated on social media, NDTV reported.
Following the incident, a first information report was filed on several charges, including attempt to murder and rioting with deadly weapons.
Nitin Ahirwar, the official in charge of the Sanchi Police Station, told the channel that three or four of the persons accused in the matter had been arrested. He said that more than 10 others were absconding and a search was on for them in Vidisha and the surrounding areas.
A separate FIR was also filed against Qureshi based on a complaint by a Raisen-based bike workshop owner under sections of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and the Madhya Pradesh Prohibition of Slaughter of Cows Act, according to The Indian Express.
The complainant claimed that he, along with three others, intercepted Qureshi's vehicle based on a tip-off about cattle smuggling from the Rahatgarh area.
The group found the cattle 'cruelly crammed' into the vehicle and bound for slaughterhouses in Bhopal, the complainant said, adding that when questioned, Qureshi and Armaan 'provided no satisfactory answers and attempted to escape from the vehicle'.