Cow Vigilantes in India

Harsha Vadlamani Photojournalist, Documentary Photographer and Filmmaker in India

Cows at Shri Shyam Gaushala in Marranwala near Panchukla, Haryana, India.

Naveen Sharma with a cow he calls ‘Honey Singh’, named after a popular singer, at Shri Shyam Gaushala in Marranwala near Panchukla, Haryana, India.

Kamal Devi, 30, a worker at Shri Shyam Gaushala in Marranwala near Panchukla, Haryana, India, carries away cow dung from the shelter.

A worker shows an identification tag attached to a calf’s ear Cows at Shri Shyam Gaushala in Marranwala near Panchukla, Haryana, India.

Mrityunjay Singh, 25, washes the animal ambulance at Shri Shyam Gaushala in Marranwala near Panchukla, Haryana, India.

Cow vigilantes associated with the Bharatiya Gau Raksha Dal at a checkpoint at Marranwala near Panchukla, Haryana, India.

Pupinder Kumar, 21, associated with the Bharatiya Gau Raksha Dal, inspects passing vehicles for cows at a checkpoint in Marranwala near Panchukla, Haryana, India.

Naveen Sharma of the Bharatiya Gau Raksha Dal observes an approaching vehicle while on a night patrol near Panchukla, Haryana, India.

Naveen Sharma of the Bharatiya Gau Raksha Dal checks for updates on whatsapp while on a night patrol near Panchukla, Haryana, India.

Activity around a beef biryani seller’s stall at Ghasera in Haryana, India.

A Muslim man emerges from a mosque after offering their afternoon prayers at Doha in Haryana, India.

Mohammed Ashfaq and his brother Rayees are cattle sellers from Doha in Haryana, India.

A young Kushti wrestler exercises at the Baba Nihalnath Gaudham Gauvansh Chikitsalay in Rohini, New Delhi, India.

Sanpreet Dev is associated with Jeevrakshni Preet Foundation in Rohini New Delhi, India.

A view of the highway that connects New Delhi with Haryana from a flyover at Peeragarhi in New Delhi, India.

Mukesh Moni Jaat, 26, Rakesh Pandit, 24 and Banti Tomar, 25, look for signs of vehicles carrying cattle at Peeragarhi in New Delhi, India.

Banti Tomar, 25, jumps in top of a vehicle carrying buffaloes to look for cows at Peeragarhi in New Delhi, India.

Members of a brass band watch cow vigilantes intercept a vehicle from their bus at Peeragarhi in New Delhi, India.

Banti Tomar, 25, stands on a metro pillar to look for vehicles carrying cattle at Peeragarhi in New Delhi, India.

Cow vigilantes walk swiftly towards a vehicle they suspect of cattle transport at Peeragarhi in New Delhi, India.

Buffaloes in a vehicle intercepted by cow vigilantes at Peeragarhi in New Delhi, India.

Cow vigilantes confront the driver of a vehicle carrying cattle at Peeragarhi in New Delhi, India.

Banti Tomar, 25, climbs on top of a moving vehicle carrying cattle at Peeragarhi in New Delhi, India.

Banti Parmar, 26, Mukesh Moni Jaat, 26, climbs on top of a vehicle carrying cattle while Rakesh Pandit, 24, asks the driver questions at Peeragarhi in New Delhi, India.

,Rakesh Pandit, 24, and Mukesh Moni Jaat, 26, look for signs of vehicles carrying cattle from the flyover at Peeragarhi in New Delhi, India.