Dhubri police bust illegal cow slaughter racket in market raid; one held, three flee
During the raid in South Geramari, police recovered a fully skinned cow carcass along with butchering tools
The police team with the accused (seated) and the recovered cow carcass. (AT Photo)
Dhubri, July 7: A police raid at Fazil Mor Bazaar in South Geramari, Dhubri district, has uncovered a suspected illegal cow slaughter and beef sale operation, escalating tensions in the area and highlighting the challenges in enforcing Assam’s beef ban.
Acting on a tip-off, a team led by Officer-in-Charge of Gauripur Police Station, Chiranjeev Lahon, and Town Sub-Inspector Hirakjyoti Khaun, raided the site on Sunday and recovered the fully skinned carcass of a cow along with sharp butchering tools and meat-weighing equipment.
Police arrested one person, Monowar Hussain, who was allegedly caught red-handed while preparing the carcass for sale in the local market.
According to police, three others—Sabed Ali, Zahirul, and Samad Ali—are also believed to be involved but fled the scene and remain absconding.
Among them, Sabed Ali is a repeat offender, previously arrested in a cattle trafficking case by Gauripur police.
A formal case has been registered under applicable provisions of the Assam Cattle Preservation Act, 2021, which bans cattle slaughter and beef sale in designated zones.
Monowar Hussain was produced before the Dhubri Court on Sunday. Police say efforts are on to track down the absconding accused and dismantle the wider network behind the illegal trade.
The raid comes amidst a wider crackdown across Assam on illegal cattle slaughter and beef sales. As of July 1, the Assam Police have arrested over 133 individuals in connection with such offences in various districts.
The incident has triggered concern among locals, who have questioned how such operations continue to flourish despite Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s repeated directives enforcing the 2021 Act.
Police officials have assured that strict action will be taken and more raids are likely in the coming days.
Earlier, the Assam government had announced plans to frame a Standard Operating Procedure (SoP) for better implementation of the Assam Cattle Preservation Act, 2021, aimed at closing enforcement loopholes and ensuring stricter compliance across the state.