Man arrested for burning two Muslims to death over cows
A woman hugs a cow in India.
The Indian police confirmed that they had arrested a man, after the killing of two Muslims who were kidnapped under the pretext that they were smuggling cows, which are sacred animals for the Hindus.
The cow vigilantes, which claim to protect even by committing criminal acts, sometimes were behind the kidnapping and killing of the men.
The police said the men were burnt alive.
The charred bodies of the two victims were found on Thursday morning in a burnt-out car in the northern state of Haryana, a day after they disappeared.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot denounced the two crimes on Twitter and assured that strict action would be taken against the perpetrators.
The families of the two men, who are from the northwestern state of Rajasthan, filed a complaint and named five men belonging to the hardline Bajrang Dal.
The police officer, Shyam Singh, told reporters, "We have arrested people so far... and are looking for others."
A statement from the Rajasthan Police confirmed that the man arrested was a taxi driver involved in cow protection groups.
The number of these militias in India, which patrols highways to prevent the movement of livestock across state borders, has increased since Narendra Modi became prime minister in 2014.
Critics accuse Modi's government of turning a blind eye to attacks on members of the minorities in the name of protecting ruminants.
Several Indian states have put a ban on the slaughter of cows and that people require special permits for transporting cows across state lines.
