The three men had allegedly beaten to death a man on suspicion of transporting cows illegally.
The Ahmedabad Crime Branch has arrested three cow vigilantes for the murder of a 29-year-old Muslim man who was allegedly caught illegally transporting a cow and a calf about a week ago.
Police officials said that the three accused identified as Dhaval Bhatt, Vikramsinh Bhati and Alpesh Rabari along with four others were chasing the car in which Mohammad Ayyub and Sumer were allegedly transporting a cow and a calf on the Eid.
"Since they feared that they would be caught by the miscreants, they sped at a high speed and near Prahlad Nagar, they crashed into an Innova car. Ayyub was injured in the mishap but tried to flee the spot. While the miscreants chased him down and started beating him, Sumer who was running in another direction was saved by a police men who was posted in the area," said senior police officer J K Bhatt.
Police officials revealed that Mr Ayyub was beaten up with baseball bats and wooden rods. Officials said that hunt is on for four more accused.
Officials revealed that the interrogation also revealed a well-organized racket being run by some criminals under the garb of cow protection.
Dhaval, according to police, was also involved in a criminal case in the past and had also been indulging in extorting money from alleged illegal cow transporters.
"In the past they have revealed that on five to six instances they had recovered the cows. We are investigating if money was demanded," Said Mr Bhatt.
The police officials also stated that the accused were also tipped off about the movement of the Indigo car with a cow and a calf.
"They had been tipped off about the car coming from North Gujarat and from Adalaj on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, they started chasing it," added Mr Bhatt.
The crime branch is also investigating the nexus of the three people who had lodged an FIR against Mr Ayyub and Sumer under animal protection act with the arrested accused to ascertain whether they were part of the network.