Dalits beaten by cow vigilantes in Andhra: Cong demands probe

New Delhi, Aug. 10 (ANI): Asserting that injustice against Dalits would not be tolerated, the Congress today asked Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to initiate a probe against the recent incident in Amalapuram where two Dalit brothers were allegedly tied to a coconut tree, stripped and thrashed for skinning a dead cow. Congress leader Renuka Chowdhury stated that nobody would bear injustice against the Dalits. "The state's chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu should initiate a probe to find out the accused. I am surprised as to how this disease of cow vigilantes has reached Andhra Pradesh," Chowdhury told ANI. "Nobody will bear injustice against the Dalits and the state government will have to bear the consequences. The Chief Minister will have to tell as to what actions he has taken in this regard," she added while assuring support to the Dalits. Earlier on Monday, two brothers, who were hired to skin a cow that had died of electrocution, were attacked by around 100 'gau rakshaks' or cow vigilantes, who arrived at the spot accusing them of stealing and killing the animal. The brothers are presently undergoing treatment at a hospital with reports indicating that one of them is critical. As per reports, the police have identified the attackers. The incident comes just days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent out a hard-hitting message against attacks on Dalits and cow vigilantism. Addressing a public meeting on his first visit to Telangana on August 7 after assuming office, the Prime Minister asked the people to beware of its 'fake' protectors trying to divide society and the country and asked the states to severely punish them. "I would like to tell all countrymen that they beware of these fake cow protectors," he said. Prime Minister Modi asked the states to identify the people who want to destroy the social fabric and take stern action against them. (ANI)