Early Saturday morning, four dairy farmers were brutally assaulted at Palasuni by cow vigilantes, leaving all of them seriously injured.

A calf died in the chaos.

This was the second such attack in ten days. On August 28, vigilantes had similarly targeted dairy farmers at Baramunda.

Bichitrananda Behera, 60, a dairy farmer from Ali Pingal in Jagatsinghpur district, described the ordeal: “Under the Kamadhenu Yojana, we had purchased cows from Andhra Pradesh. As we passed through Palasuni, a group of vigilantes suddenly blocked our vehicles and began hurling abuses. When we protested, they beat us mercilessly.”

He added: “They accused us of being Muslims transporting cows for trade. Even when we produced valid documents — Aadhaar cards and government sanction orders under the Kamadhenu scheme — they branded them fake. They hurled insults, attacked us and in the confusion a calf died. Who will take responsibility? We demand stringent action.”

One of the farmers managed to alert the police, who arrived at the spot, forcing the assailants to flee. Later, the farmers staged a protest rally, placing the dead calf’s carcass on the road.

Odisha milk farmers’ association president Rabi Behera condemned the incident. “These vigilantes are systematically targeting milk producers, often to extort money. With the BJP government in power, their attacks have only increased, while the police remain silent. Poor milkmen are being terrorised. The government must act decisively against the vigilantes to send a strong message.”