Washim police arrests nine people for beating up meat traders

MUMBAI: The Washim police have arrested nine people for beating up three meat traders claiming that they were transporting beef. A video of the incident has gone viral. According to a police official, the incident happened on Friday when the three traders from Rajora village were accosted buy 7 men whp accused them of selling beef.

Maharashtra has made a law that has banned consumption of cows, bulls and bullocks under the Maharashtra Preservation Act of 1976. The accussed claimed that the meat traders had violated it by slaughtering a cow.

According to the video, the 7 assailants even forced the traders to chant ‘Jai shri Ram’. The traders were then taken to the police station by the accused. However, the police booked the vigilantes for disturbing communal harmony, criminal intimidation, rioting and assault.

A top state minister when contacted said that he has not heard about the incident and would only react after he gets a police report. Washim suprintendent of police Mokshada Patil said that they have made nine arrests in the case. “We will take strict action against such people. We will not allow anyone to challenge the law and order or to disrupt communal harmony,” said Patil. The cops also searched some houses where the alleged slaughter of cows was done but they could not find anything.

She added that the youth shot the video of incident to create communal tension. The police is verifying whether the accused belonged to any particular outfit. Meanwhile, the accussed were taken to the court where the men have managed to get a bail. The police have also registered cases against the meat traders under the Maharashtra Preservation Act and has sent the meat to the Nagpur laboratory for testing to check whether it was that of a cattle.