200 cows die at cow shed: BJP leader Harish Verma assaulted by Youth Congress workers

Verma alleged that he was not receiving the grant from the Gau Sewa Ayog even after repeated requests.

The attackers also smeared ink on his face.

A complaint in this regard was filed by the Gau Sewa Aayog alleging the lack of management and proper facilities at the facility, he said.

New Delhi: On Saturday, BJP leader Harish Varma got beaten up by some Youth Congress workers while he was produced in the court over allegations that 200 cows died in the last three days at his government-aided gaushala in Durg district of Chhattisgarh. (All images: ABP Live)

The Chhattisgarh Rajya Gau Sewa Aayog, which lodged an FIR with the police on Friday after its team visited the cow shelter run by Harish Verma, has alleged that lack of proper facilities at the cow shelter were responsible for the deaths.

"A case was registered today against Harish Verma in connection with the death of the cows at his 'gaushala' in Rajpur village under Dhamdha police station limits," Durg Superintendent of Police Amresh Mishra said.

He said the exact cause of the deaths was yet to be ascertained as the blood samples of the carcasses of the cows have been sent to laboratories and reports are awaited.

"In the last three days, 27 cows were reported to have died of unknown reasons in the gaushala of Rajpur. Around 500 bovines were housed in the government-aided shelter home. Soon after getting the news of the incident, a team of veterinary doctors was sent to the spot. The�district administration has initiated an investigation to ascertain the cause behind deaths of the cows," Durg Additional Collector Sanjay Agrawal said.

Verma has claimed that the cows died due to collapse of a boundary wall on August 15.

Verma, who holds the post of vice-president in Jamul Municipality, has been booked under�sections 4 and 6 of Chhattisgarh Agricultural Cattle Preservation Act 2004, under section 11 of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960 and section 409 (criminal breach of trust) of the IPC, the IG said.

BJP leader Harish Verma was arrested after ABP News channel's continuous coverage of the issue.