The Supreme Court on Friday sought responses from seven states on a plea seeking to curb self-appointed cow vigilante groups indulging in violence.

The cow vigilantes were attacking people merely on grounds of suspicion of their being involved in the beef trade.

A bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra issued a notice after Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar told the bench that so far no formal notice has been issued to the states in the matter.

The court had earlier issued notice to the Centre seeking its response on the plea.   

The seven states that have been issued notice are Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka and Jharkhand.

The notice was issued on a plea by one Tehseen S. Poonawala.