The Delhi police said that a meat vendor was beaten by some people for allegedly selling cow meat at his grocery shop in the Vijay Nagar area of northwest Delhi.
They said meat samples collected from the shop have been sent for forensic examination, police informed PTI.
The SFI has demanded swift legal action against those involved in the assault and urged the Delhi Police to ensure the safety of vulnerable communities on and around university campuses.
What Happened?
According to police, the complainant in the case is a 15-year-old boy, a resident of Vijay Nagar, who claimed that he bought meat for Rs 400 per kg from the shop of Chaman Kumar (44), a resident of Kaushik Enclave in Burari, and later suspected it to be cow meat.
After word spread about the sale of suspected cow meat, members of different organisations gathered outside Kumar's shop and manhandled him.
The police told the media that Kumar is undergoing medical examination.
DCP (Northwest) Bhisham Singh was quoted by Hindustan Times saying, "CCTV footage from the area is being collected and reviewed to verify the sequence of events."
PTI reported that a team was dispatched to the spot following a PCR call.
"Meat samples have been seized from the shop and sent for forensic examination to determine whether it is cow meat," a senior police officer told PTI.
"We are investigating the matter from all angles. The forensic report is awaited. Police will take action based on its findings," he added.
Police said the situation in Vijay Nagar is currently under control and additional force has been deployed in the area to prevent any untoward incident.
Students' Federation of India Held Protest
The Students' Federation of India (SFI) led a protest rally in Delhi's Vijay Nagar area on Thursday against this incident that they described as a "mob attack led by fanatics".
The demonstration was organised in solidarity with the targeted individual and to demand accountability for the violence.
According to the SFI, a man was assaulted late on Wednesday by a mob that accused him of selling cow meat at his grocery shop.
"This brutal attack on north-eastern communities is unacceptable. Vijaynagar will not tolerate any threat to communal harmony," the SFI-Delhi said in a statement.
According to PTI, the protest began in the locality and moved toward the site of the assault, where student activists gathered with placards and slogans.
The rally aimed to assert a strong stance against what the SFI called a "rising trend of communal vigilantism."
Speaking at the rally, SFI activist Sohan Yadav reportedly said, "We will continue our struggle until safety for the north-eastern communities is ensured and will agitate to ensure an FIR is registered."
However, student groups argue that the violence occurred even before any official confirmation or legal process, calling it a case of "mob justice." "We call upon the student community to extend solidarity and reclaim our campuses from forces of unmitigated violence," the SFI stated.
The SFI has demanded swift legal action against those involved in the assault and urged the Delhi Police to ensure the safety of vulnerable communities on and around university campuses.
(With PTI inputs)
