Lucknow, Nov 6, SPA -- A Hindu mob attacked a Muslimvillage in northern India, torching homes and killing threepeople, after hearing rumors that cows, considered holy byHindus, were slaughtered for the Eid-al-Fitr celebrations, police said Sunday. Hindus from neighboring areas attacked Mehndipur villagein the northern Uttar Pradesh state on Saturday night andset fire to dozens of houses after being told villagers hadkilled the cows for a feast to mark the end of the Muslimholy month of Ramadan on Friday, said S. B. Shirodkar, alocal police chief. Three Muslims died and over 40 houses were torched,Shirodkar said. He said a police investigation revealed nocow had been slaughtered in the village, according to a report of The Associated Press. Authorities deployed paramilitary forces in and aroundMehndipur, located about 35 kilometers (20 miles) east ofstate capital Lucknow. Uttar Pradesh is India's mostpopulous state, and about 15 percent of its 180 millionpeople are Muslims. Muslims form nearly 16 percent of India's 1 billionpeople, and simmering tensions with the majority Hindusoften spill over into rioting.--SPA1250 Local Time 0950 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/300832