A court in Kalol, Gandhinagar district, has sentenced three men to rigorous life imprisonment for cow slaughter. In its 76-page judgment, the court cited the Manusmriti, Vedas and other Hindu scriptures to explain the religious significance of cows. It also warned that cows could become extinct if the law did not punish those responsible.

Additional Sessions Judge BR Rajput delivered the verdict on Monday. The judgment became available online on Thursday.

The court observed that the accused had slaughtered cows and extracted 277 kg of beef for sale. The judge said, “The accused, despite being aware of their actions, mercilessly slaughtered cows, regarded mothers, cutting off the mouths, stomachs, legs and hides of the cows, and extracting 277 kg of beef for sale. If those who have acted with such extreme cruelty by cutting up the cows’ body parts are not punished as prescribed by law, Gau Mata will eventually become extinct from the earth. It is therefore necessary to sentence the accused in accordance with the law”.

The judgment referred to the Manusmriti, which describes cattle protection as a religious duty and assigns its primary responsibility to the Vaishya community. It also mentioned the importance of cows and bulls in Arsha Vivaha, a traditional Vedic marriage.

Citing Hindu scriptures, the court stated that Surabhi, also known as Kamadhenu, emerged from divine nectar through Brahma’s penance and became the mother of all cattle. It also referred to the Rigveda, which describes cows as 'Adhanya', meaning animals that should not be killed.

The court further observed that 33 crore deities reside in the cow and that its four legs symbolise the four Vedas. Referring to the Manusmriti and Harivamsha Purana, it described the cow as the daughter of Daksha Prajapati. The judgment also stated that Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh reside in her horns, while the Sun and Moon reside in her eyes.

The three convicts are Vasim, 34, from Juhapura; Mohammad Rafiq, 28, from Behrampura; and Asfak alias Salman, 19, from Fatehwadi, all in Ahmedabad. The court sentenced each to life imprisonment and a fine of ₹2 lakh under Section 8(2) of the Gujarat Animal Preservation Act, 1954. It also awarded 10 years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of ₹1 lakh under Section 8(4). Both sentences will run concurrently, taking the total fine to ₹3 lakh each.

Two other accused were acquitted due to a lack of evidence linking them to the slaughter. Another accused died during the trial.

According to the prosecution, the incident occurred on August 22, 2024, at a house in Jamla village, where the accused allegedly slaughtered cows for financial gain. Police recovered 277 kg of meat and other material linked to the alleged crime.

The defence questioned the collection and preservation of meat samples, the lack of forensic testing of the recovered tools, and discrepancies in the recorded weight. However, the court rejected these arguments, finding the evidence sufficient to establish the guilt of the three accused beyond reasonable doubt. It also rejected their request for probation despite their families' dependence on them and their lack of previous criminal records.

Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi welcomed the verdict. “This verdict under the Gujarat Animal Preservation Act is a clear message that the law will never spare those who commit cow slaughter in Gujarat. Protecting the cow mother is Gujarat’s unwavering resolve,” Sanghavi wrote.

Gujarat amended the Animal Preservation Act in 2011, introducing a complete ban on cow slaughter and the sale, purchase and transportation of beef. In 2017, it further tightened the law, making cow slaughter punishable with life imprisonment. Possession, sale, storage and transportation of beef carry seven to 10 years in prison and fines ranging from ₹1 lakh to ₹5 lakh. These offences are non-bailable.