Two Dalit men in Odisha’s Ganjam district were allegedly assaulted and tonsured on Sunday by a group that accused them of cow smuggling, The Indian Express reported on Tuesday.

Six persons were detained in connection with the case on Monday, Ganjam Superintendent of Police Suvendu Kumar Patra told PTI.

The men, Babula Nayak (54) and Bulu Nayak (42), were transporting two cows and a calf in an auto when they were accosted by a group of “cow-protectors” in Kharigumma village, the news agency quoted an unidentified police official as saying.

The group allegedly accused the men of smuggling cattle and demanded Rs 30,000 from them. When they refused, they were assaulted, forced to crawl, consume grass and drain water, the official added.

The group also took the mobile phones of the two men and Rs 700 cash, The Indian Express reported.

The police have filed a case based on a complaint by the men who were assaulted, Chandrika Swain, inspector at the Dharakote police station in Ganjam, told The Indian Express.

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