New Delhi, June 24: Pamphlets have been distributed in southwest Delhi threatening a law student and the entire Jain community over the young man's high court petition against a law that criminalises the possession or eating of beef in the capital.

The Hindi pamphlet names Gaurav Jain, who has generally been a thorn in the Sangh-BJP's flesh, as well as his father and mentions their address at Palam village in southwest Delhi.

It says that if the true "lovers of religion" do not dissuade "sinners" from this "travesty" (court petition), "we shall persuade the entire Jain community in our own way, which you may not like".

Gaurav had in 2015 protested the lynching of Mohammed Akhlaque in Dadri by calling for a "beefy picnic" opposite the BJP headquarters in Delhi, where he planned to serve buffalo meat, before being detained by police.

He had also participated in the student agitation against violence by Sangh student wing ABVP earlier this year.

The pamphlet, issued in the name of "Vishnu Gupta, Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha", is titled " Ghor Kalyug: Jainiyon dwara gau mans ka sevan aur high court case (Extreme Age of Vice: Consumption of beef by Jains and high court case)".

Palam residents said unidentified men had distributed the pamphlet at the nearby Radha Krishna temple last evening.

"His bad deeds show how uncultured his family is. What misfortune will befall this Jain family? This corrupt boy's parents and siblings are also sinners who are destroying their great non-violent religion. Think about where they are getting their inspiration from," the pamphlet says.

"How nikrisht (inferior) is Palam's Jain community where such blasphemers and sinners are thriving? Maybe this act by sinners and lawyers under the flag of Jainism is an example of the entire Jain community's hypocrisy relating to non-violence."

The pamphlet compares Jain to the Taliban and the Islamic State who "cannot be pardoned".

"The attack on our religion by him and others is condemnable and they should be punished. We will not tolerate this treachery and violence in the garb of the Jain community," the pamphlet says.

"Our appeal to the most dharma-premi (lovers of religion) brothers is to prevent this sin from happening in society and in court. We are writing this to you so that if you really love non-violence, (you will) go and explain to these people and stop this travesty."

Then comes the direct threat: " Nahi toh hum samast Jain samaj ko apne tareeke se samjha denge jo aapko shayad kadapi achchha na lage."

Delhi High Court is to hear Gaurav's plea against the Delhi Agricultural Cattle Preservation Act on September 14.

Gaurav went to Palam Village police station today, complaining his life was in danger and seeking protection for his family and apprehension of the pamphleteer. He says he was asked to file a defamation suit in court instead.

"The officer at the reception told me the pamphlet did not have Gupta's signature and there was no proof that I had not printed it myself. He said this was a defamation case, which a police station cannot handle," Gaurav said.

Eventually, the police accepted the complaint but did not file an FIR, which means they need not question anyone. Deputy commissioner of police (southwest) Surender Kumar did not respond to calls or messages from this newspaper.

Gupta, who leads a group called the Hindu Sena, had been felicitated by the Hindu Mahasabha for protesting the serving of buffalo meat at Kerala House here in 2015. He is not a member of the Mahasabha - a century-old political organisation some of whose members were prosecuted after Mahatma Gandhi's assassination - although the pamphlet implies so.

Gupta denied any role in the pamphlet but supported it. "I did not print this letter but whoever has done so, has done a good thing. Jains should expel him (Gaurav) from their community," he said.

"I demand that BJP-ruled states in the Northeast too ban beef. If any northeasterner wants to eat beef here, it will not turn out well for him."

In 2014, the Sena had attacked the Aam Aadmi Party office after the party's then member Prashant Bhushan said he supported a plebiscite in Kashmir.

Last year, the Sena vandalised Pakistan International Airlines' Delhi office and recently disrupted a news conference by CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury.

Gaurav had plied a cycle-rickshaw at Delhi University and blogged about the life of rickshaw- wallahs in 2012.