A sessions court in Gujarat’s Gandhinagar has sentenced three Muslim men to life imprisonment for cow slaughter, citing Hindu scriptures, including the Vedas and Manusmriti, while emphasising the religious significance of cows.

The court also fined each of the three men Rs 3 lakh, according to a report by Scroll, citing Deccan Herald.

In its judgement delivered on Monday, the court devoted the opening four pages to discussing the importance of cows in Hinduism. It cited ancient Hindu texts describing cows as the “mother of the universe” and referring to the belief that 33 crore deities reside in them.

The judgement also invoked the Manusmriti, describing the cow as more than an animal and portraying it as central to dharma, or religious duty.

The three convicted men were identified as Wasim Kureshi, Mohammad Rafiq Kureshi and Asfak Bahelim.

The court said the accused knew that cows were considered sacred in Hinduism but had nevertheless slaughtered one.

“If such accused…are not punished as prescribed by law, the mother cows will become extinct with the passage of time,” the court said, according to Deccan Herald.

The men were convicted under provisions of the Gujarat Animal Preservation Amendment Act and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, among other charges. Each was sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for life.

According to the report, the three men purchased old or non-milking cattle at low prices and slaughtered them for commercial purposes. Police caught them while they were allegedly preparing to sell the meat and seized around 277 kg of beef.

Muslim buffalo traders assaulted in Madhya Pradesh

In a separate incident, a group of alleged members of Hindutva organisations assaulted two Muslim traders and a van driver transporting buffaloes in Madhya Pradesh’s Damoh district, The Hindu reported on Wednesday.

The group stopped the traders, accusing them of stealing the animals. Videos of the incident showed members of the mob tying up the two traders, dragging them through a field and beating them with sticks.

Police have registered a case against unidentified individuals in connection with the assault.

Damoh Superintendent of Police Anand Kaladagi told The Hindu that the traders had also been booked because the buffaloes were being transported in poor conditions inside a small van.

Police had identified some of the alleged attackers through videos of the incident and were working to arrest them, he said.