A Muslim man associated with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was assulated on Wednesday in India's Maharashtra state by Hindu cow vigilantes who, at the time, did not know that he was associated with the ruling party, Hindustan Times reported.

Ismail Shah, 36, was hospitalised with serious injuries after he was assaulted by members of the Prahar Sanghatana ─ "a social and cultural body" ─ who accused him of carrying beef, the Indian daily said.

Four members of Prahar Sanghatana were arrested for assaulting Shah, who repeatedly told them that he was carrying goat meet and not beef.

Hindustan Times reported on Friday that Shah is the general secretary of the BJP’s Katol taluka minority cell, a fact that the vigilantes were "probably unaware" of at the time of the assault.

Shah, who was pulled off his two-wheeler by the four men, did not receive any help from on-lookers, the daily said.