Killers of cows of Malegaon

There is a good deal of controversy, contradictions, and bias in the reports regarding the dead cows found on the Malegaon- Manmad road. There is no sign of any let up in this matter for the reason that the panchayat elections are round the corner. There are those who stand to benefit from the matter taking a worse turn which obviously would mean more tension and communal flare up spilling over the district. Some others who would be adversely affected by such a course of action would like to see a speedy end to the matter and a logical conclusion. Those who want to prolong the agitation are keen on bringing the matter to a head where there is every possibility of shops burnt or looted, people attacked and riots breaking out.
Malegaon is a town with sizable Muslim population where it is an open secret that cows are regularly slaughtered because of a racket involving not just the police but the political leaders who are so agitated today. There is a huge amount of money exchanging hands. If the spoils are not shared according to what the powerful want there are mysterious deaths. Some years back the Shiv Sena chief Ashok Chowdhary in the town was such a victim. His death followed a party in a posh hotel which butchers, leaders and government officers had attended. Last year a butcher returning from scouring the countryside for prospective purchase of sacrificial animals was killed on a road leading to the town around Muslim festival of sacrifice. Like the other incidents this also led to the butchers striking work and confronting the police.
The police despite all the abuses hurled at them know how to deal with the matter. They could stop cow slaughter in the whole country let alone a tiny Malegaon. That would require the rule of law taking its course and a stiff regulation of maintaining cows who stop giving milk and farmers like the middlemen abiding by the laws of the land whereby selling and buying cows for slaughter is de facto a crime.
The police know how many trucks carrying cattle enter Malegaon and what the condition of transport of animals is. The district SP of Nasik under which Malgeaon comes Milind Bharambe said that according to the veterinarians the cause of death is suffocation (gudmaroon) (Dinkar July 23, 2010)
Routine of carrying cows for slaughter in Malegaon is a ‘set’ business involving middlemen, checkpost cops, octroi in charge officials, circle police, police officers of high ranks as well as local leaders. Those who do it regularly are always steady, stealthy and have to hurry through for they have to undertake future delivery soon after rest, as far as the transporters and their attendants are concerned. It is unimaginable if they would hazard such a risk of dumping killed cows on the periphery of the town known as the flash point for communal riots. They would not hazard even a thought unless they are bought over with astronomical amount of money and safe passage. They would also need protection and assurance that their regular work would be safe for them. They have also to think that their households would suffer if their regular income is stopped and they figure in such a shady transaction.
There is a sanguinary theory put forth by Shiv sena mouthpiece Saamna that the evil deed was purposely perpetrated on the Aashadi Ekadashi marking Panderpur pilgrimage. Dharm dhayani vish ghaloon tasech ordu naye madhun mukeya bandhoon teyanchi talwari, koyatani nirdhun kattal keleyachi santapjanak ghatna malegaonwat ghadli. “In Malegaon a terrible incident causing great anger (to people) took place in which fanatics poisoned the cows and lest they cry loudly gagged the mouth and attacked them with swords and machetes.”(Saamna, July 22, 2010). This would be true and Saamna need not persuade anyone to believe if the facts match. This bloody action would be unthinkable for the regular handles of illegal imports of cows for certain reasons. They would throw down the cows on a deserted road rather than the stretch of road between Malegaon and Kaulana where there are people and vehicles round the clock. Moreover there are many factories and motels there which have large clientele of drivers, mechanics, passengers, cleaners. The area is dotted with farm houses and police chekposts. The hospital Navjeevan has families of patients moving around round the clock. The network of small paths and roads leading to hamlets of Nagaon, Warane, Sonaj, Nandgaon also militates against Saamna theory.
And if the killers of the cows were bent on creating riots then they are deft conspirators. They know their choice of place and time. But there is a word of caution from the new generation of youth in Malegaon.
Advocate Shishir Shivaji Hiray says in a local paper: pan ha hatiya distat teodaa sopya nahit (“It is not as simple secret slaughter as it appears”). Jatiya dange petwinya cha uddesh aahe. (“The purpose is to cause communal riots”). He adds that there is a hidden purpose of a deeper conspiracy to cause communal riots all over the country by this specific incident in Malegaon. Gau hatiya karneyancha khara hetuha desh adhikadhik asthir vahawa, kamjor vahawa aahe. (“The real purpose of the conspirators who killed the cows is to more and more destabilize India, make it weaker and weaker.”
According to Hiray it is the duty of the Hindus and Muslims to realize the danger facing the country. Then he puts his finger on the crux of the matter of today: Malegaon don don bomb sphot houn dekhil jo danga ghadla nahim to danga ghadvinyachya kutil hetu ya prakarat aahe. . ya hindu bandhwana samjoon ghene garjeche aahe. (“What even the two bomb blast incidents {of 2006 and 2008}in Malegaon could not produce is the secret purpose of the conspiracy to kill the cows: causing communal riots. The need of the hour for the Hindus is to understand this.”)(Dinkar July 23, 2010)
Of course, the most daring Hindu leader is Dada Bhuse of Shiv Sena who was allegedly involved in the murder of Municipal corporator Khalil in 2001. The court verdict of his case was near and this was given the cause of the 2006 attack by no other than the SP of Malegaon Rajwardhan. This time around he is the most vociferous both in the Assembly and outside in the western part of the town. Can he heed the advice of the new generation?