The Supreme Court of India has washed its hands of the responsibility to enforce its own guidelines of 2018 to prevent and punish mob violence in the name of cow protection. Petitioners had sought contempt proceedings against States that have refused to implement preventive, punitive and remedial measures against cow vigilantism. In 2018, a Bench headed by then CJI Dipak Mishra had expressed shock and dismay over the spate of violence perpetrated by cow protection gangs. Since 2018, cow vigilantism has grown more monstrous, while the police and State governments, in many places, overlook or even encourage mob violence in the name of cow protection. In several States, cow vigilantes have been accorded legal sanctity and quasi-policing powers in blatant violation of the Court’s guidelines.

Source: The Hindu February 25, 2026 01:22 UTC