Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized the need to make sure India’s cows are protected and some state governments followed suit by opening more cow shelters and ordering more police crackdowns.
But some took cow protection into their own hands. Cow vigilantes started patrolling neighborhoods looking to physically punish those who were allegedly harboring cows, consuming cows or even transporting cows. In most cases, the victims of these mob beatings were Muslim.
This Vox Borders episode looks at why violence over cows increased since India’s elections in 2014.
Vox Borders is an international documentary series by Emmy-nominated producer Johnny Harris exploring life at the edge of nations. Vox.com is a news website that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines.
Watch other interesting videos at www.UMMnews.org. UMMnews (Upfront, Moral, Mindful) is a not-for-profit venture. It tells you both sides of the story, and provides a regular antidote to the mainstream media.
