India, Oct. 29 -- A sessions court in Gujarat's Gandhinagar district has sentenced three men to rigorous life imprisonment in a cow slaughter case, citing Hindu scriptures including the Vedas and the Manusmriti while discussing the religious and cultural significance of cows.

Additional Sessions Judge Brijeshkumari Rameshwarsinh Rajput delivered the judgment on Monday at the court in Kalol. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 3 lakh on each of the three convicts, identified as Wasim Qureshi, Mohammad Rafiq Qureshi and Asfak Bahelim, according to media reports. The sentences for the offences are to run concurrently.

In the judgment, the court referred to the Manusmriti and Vedic texts, describing the cow as a symbol of religious signific...