Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said 16 people were arrested for “illegally” slaughtering cattle during Eid a day ago.
He said recovery of cattle parts was reported from multiple locations across Assam, and five illegal slaughter sites were found in two districts of Barak Valley- Gumrah, Silchar and Lakhipur in Cachar, and Badarpur and Banga in Karimganj.
People from the Hindu community blocked roads in Hojai during the day, alleging that some pieces of meat were thrown by miscreants on Saturday night, and while Muslims also held another roadblock and the police had to use batons to disperse protesters, a senior officer said.
“While our Constitution guarantees the right to religious freedom, it equally upholds the rule of law and public order. This Eid-ul-Zuha, disturbing incidents of illegal cattle slaughter and recovery of cattle parts were reported from multiple locations across Assam,” Sarma said on X.
Altogether 16 people – nine from Cachar and seven from Sribhumi – have been arrested so far, he said.
“Five cases of cattle parts found – including near Cotton University (Kamrup M), Dhubri, Hojai, and Sribhumi (Bagargool),” Sarma added.
The chief minister said the state government is committed to “preserving communal harmony, but not at the cost of lawlessness or cruelty”.
“Please be clear that strict action will be taken against all violators — irrespective of faith or background,” he said.
Consumption of beef is not illegal in the state, but the Assam Cattle Preservation Act, 2021, bans cattle slaughter and sale of beef in localities where Hindus, Jains and Sikhs are in the majority and in areas within a five-km radius of a temple or satra (Vaishnavite monastery).
On Sunday, a huge number of people from the Hindu and Muslim communities came out in Hojai to hold protests separately, and they blocked roads and clashed with the police, the officer said.
“While the Hindus blocked roads at Barpukhuri area, where suspected cattle meat pieces were found at three places on Saturday. Following that, Muslims also came out and blocked a road at Bhuyanpatty as a countermeasure,” he said.
A section of the mob at Bhuyanpatty clashed with the police personnel who resorted to “mild lathi-charge” to disperse the protesters, the officer said.
“The situation is now under control, and we have deployed additional forces from central paramilitary agencies. We are closely monitoring the development,” he said.
The protest in Barpukhuri area is still underway, and the administration is talking to the agitators to clear the blockade.
Several people in Hojai town claimed that pieces of meat were thrown at their premises during the night. However, the authorities have refrained from commenting on such allegations.
A Guwahati police officer told PTI that a piece of meat was found near the Cotton University campus in the heart of the city.
“The piece of meat was wrapped in a polythene packet. We have collected the sample and sent it for testing. Till we get a report, we cannot comment on anything,” he added.
At Golakganj in Dhubri district, some meat pieces were thrown by miscreants near a temple in Nalia, another police officer said.
“The incident took place last night. We collected the meat and sent it for verification. There is no untoward incident here and everything is under control,” he added. (PTI)
