Ranchi, April 23: Giridih subdivisional officer and thr-ee policemen sustained inju-ries today when cow vigilantism turned ugly in Bengabad, 16km from the district headquarters and 190km from the state capital.

Not only did 300 villagers block Deoghar-Giridih Road from 10.30am to 1.30pm, they also pelted stones at police who had to fight back with lathicharge. Local Gandey MLA of the BJP Jai Prakash Verma claimed to have heard gunshots while protesters alleged that police fired nine rounds in the air. Police have denied the same and instead accused the MLA of provoking villagers to block the road.

Trouble erupted around 8.30am, when some people raised an alarm on spotting 20 milch and pregnant cows as well as a calf's carcass stuffed with husk in three mini trucks coming from Deoghar. Soon, a crowd forcibly stopped the vehicles and thrashed drivers who managed to break free and flee. As the number of cow vigilantes swelled, so did their anger over the perceived notion that the animals were bound for a slaughterhouse. Even as a small police team reached the spot, villagers squatted on Giridih-Deoghar Road in protest.

As the number of protesters kept mounting and rumours acquired a communal tone, efforts to calm the crowd proved futile as some people hurled stones that injured SDO Namita Kumari, SDPO Manish Toppo and two other policemen. Police had to bring in reinforcements and cane the crowd to lift the roadblock.

"The cows belong to one Yadav from Bhojpur in Bihar," said Giridih deputy commissioner Uma Shankar Singh, to lay at rest rumours of minority involvement. "Some people said cows were on their way to the slaughterhouse, which our probe found untrue." Explaining the calf carcass, he said: "If a calf dies, it is traditional practice to keep the carcass stuffed with husk to fool the mother into giving milk."

A senior policeman said MLA Verma instigated the violence. Denying allegations, the BJP MLA said the district administration was "fabricating a story to save its face".

"The crowd was agitated after seeing cows and a stuffed calf carcass. I managed to calm them down when suddenly the SDO ordered lathicharge. When I objected, they said they were controlling unruly people who manhandled mediapersons. Cops resorted to indiscriminate lathicharge. I heard five gunshots as I was present on the spot," Verma said.

Deputy commissioner Singh said an FIR would be lodged against some persons for violence and spreading rumours.