Pune, 10 March 2026: A shocking incident has surfaced in Pune where a truck driver was allegedly assaulted by individuals claiming to be 'gau rakshaks' (cow protectors). The accused allegedly beat the driver and forced him to eat cow dung.
After a video of the incident went viral on social media, Pune Police arrested three individuals and registered a case against them.
According to police information, the incident occurred in the Ambegaon area in the early hours of March 6. The victim was transporting buffaloes in a truck when the accused stopped his vehicle and confronted him.
During the confrontation, the men allegedly assaulted the driver and made religious remarks against him.
Police said the accused also forced the driver to eat cow dung and recorded the act on video. The clip was later circulated on social media platforms, triggering outrage and prompting police action.
Based on the investigation, the accused have been identified as Bipasha alias Akash Raju Manickam from Gurunanak Colony in Katraj, Hemant Gaikwad from Ambegaon, and Viraj Sole.
A case has been registered against them at Ambegaon Police Station following a complaint filed by Police Constable Ganesh Shende.
Officials said the driver had initially been brought to the police station with the help of police marshals after being stopped on the road. At that time, two non-cognizable complaints related to buffalo transportation and assault on the driver had been recorded.
However, later Police Constable Shende came across the video of the incident on Instagram. In the footage, the accused were allegedly seen abusing the driver with casteist slurs, forcing him to eat cow dung and making religious comments that could incite communal tension.
Following this development, police registered a formal criminal case and arrested the three accused. Ambegaon Police are currently conducting further investigation into the incident.