National Desk
9 June
Sandeep Dhand
Journalist and Research Analysist
On the occasion of Eid-ul-Zuha, tension flared in Assam after incidents of alleged illegal cow slaughter. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that 16 people have been arrested so far in connection with the illegal killing of animals. The arrests were made in Cachar and Karimganj districts, including areas like Gumrah, Silchar, Lakhipur, Badarpur, and Banga.
These events triggered protests and road blockades by members of different communities. In Hojai, members of the Hindu community blocked roads, alleging that pieces of meat were intentionally thrown in the area by miscreants on Saturday night. Meanwhile, members of the Muslim community also staged a protest by blocking a road at another location.
Police had to intervene to control the situation. In some places, minor clashes between protesters and police occurred, and authorities were forced to use lathicharge to disperse the crowds. Samples of the meat found were sent for testing as part of the investigation.
Chief Minister Sarma shared on social media platform X, stating, “Our Constitution guarantees the right to religious freedom but also upholds the rule of law and public order. On Eid-ul-Zuha, several reports of illegal cattle slaughter and body parts being recovered have come from different parts of Assam.”
Out of the 16 arrested, nine were from Cachar and seven from Sribhumi. The Chief Minister assured that the state government is committed to maintaining communal harmony and strict action will be taken against those violating the law.
The state administration has stepped up security in sensitive areas to avoid further unrest and ensure peace during the festive season.