A sting operation by India Today has revealed a hideous side of cow vigilantes: extortionists.

Reporters posing as beef traders met with Vasudev Patil of the Gopala Gaushala cow shelter, whose Gashti Pathak` team is known for patrolling the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway. Vasudev offered to help transport beef in exchange for Rs. 15,000 per vehicle and said that he would himself sit in the vehicle as no one would doubt it then.

Another operation revealed a similar situation with the gau rakshaks associated with the Shiv Sena near Navi Mumbai. Their plan was to “settle with the zonal DCP”, get a doctor`s help with documents and then mix the cow meat with buffalo beef.

Beef traders reported being harassed irrespective of whether they were carrying cow, bull or bullock meat. If traders did not pay money, their vehicles were torched or the meat rendered unusable otherwise.