Gujarat court sentences three men to life for cow slaughter under 2017 law

A sessions court in Gandhinagar convicted three men in a 2024 cow slaughter case and sentenced each to life imprisonment. The accused were identified as Wasim, Mohammad, and Asfaq, and each was fined 300,000 rupees.

The court cited Hindu scriptures, including the Manusmriti and the Rigveda, while delivering the verdict. It stated that cows could become extinct in India if those who slaughter them are not punished according to the law.

“This verdict under the Gujarat Animal Preservation Act sends a clear message that the law will never spare anyone who commits cow slaughter in Gujarat.”

Judgment documents dated October 26 included Sanskrit verses describing cows as mothers of the world and cow protection as a religious duty. The court also referenced the view that wherever cow slaughter occurs, it is considered a loss to dharma.

The men were sentenced under multiple legal provisions. These include Sections 325 and 54 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Section 119 of the Gujarat Police Act, and several sections of the Gujarat Animal Preservation Act, 2017. Additional charges came from the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, and the Motor Vehicles Act.

Gujarat Minister of State Harsh Sanghavi welcomed the verdict on social media. He said the ruling under the Gujarat Animal Preservation Act sends a clear message that the law will spare no one who commits cow slaughter in the state.

The minister also praised Gandhinagar police and the prosecution for their investigation and evidence. Courts in Gujarat have previously handed down life sentences in similar cases, based on a 2017 statutory amendment by the state government.

Legal experts note that courts can impose life imprisonment only when an explicit legal provision exists. Gujarat courts have applied this provision repeatedly in cow slaughter convictions.