The three accused have denied the charge, saying they were skinning dead, not live cows.
Three young men were arrested in Agar Malwa district of Madhya Pradesh for allegedly skinning live cows, Superintendent of Police RS Meena said on Thursday.
Mr Hemraj, Mr Dhanraj and Mr Rakesh were arrested on complaint of another youth Badri Singh who said he found the three men in Shyampura forest skinning cows that were alive, Mr Meena said.
The three accused have denied the charge, saying they were skinning dead, not live cows.
Mr Meena said a post-mortem report will help get at the truth of the matter.
According to Badri Singh's complaint, he saw some people skinning cows in Shyampura forest where a large number of cows were grazing. When he confronted them to stop them from doing that, they threatened him, he said.
Badri Singh said the cows were very much alive and died only after they were targeted by the skinners.