The men were travelling in a tempo with 30 buffalo calves when they were intercepted by a group of six.
Two persons were attacked by alleged cow vigilantes when they were transporting cattle near Ahmedabad, leaving one of them with a deep stab wound, police said.
Zaheer Qureshi, 23, suffered blood loss and was rushed to the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital. He is out of danger now, the doctors said.
The two men were travelling in a tempo van with 30 buffalo calves from Deesa in north Gujarat when they were intercepted near Ramol by a group of six, who attacked them with knives and batons on Sunday.
Zaheer's friend, Mustafa, who was driving the vehicle, managed to escape the assault and hid behind a police van parked nearby, Danish Khan, an activist told IANS.
"The six people, including two motorcycle-borne youths, attacked them around 12.30 am," Ahmedabad Deputy Commissioner Himkar Singh said.
The police have filed a First Information Report or FIR against unidentified accused for causing grievous injuries.
Yogirajsinh Gohil, a member of an outfit called Lok Rashak Dal, however, filed a complaint against the two men alleging that they were carrying buffalo calves without mandatory documents.
"We have questioned some persons and finding out more details. We will soon arrest the attackers," Mr Singh said.
(With inputs from agencies)