Hyderabad: In a move to avoid unnecessary controversy and stop cow vigilantes in their tracks during the upcoming Bakrid, some Muslim organisations have approached chief secretary Rajiv Sharma and director general of police Anurag Sharma to put in place a system for sale of animals for sacrifice through the animal husbandry department.
In a joint petition signed by office-bearers of Soofi Academy , Sunni Ulema Board, All India Muslim Lea gue, Awami Majilis Amal, Telangana Minority State Forum and Sunni Ulema Council, they requested the government to sell the animals for sacrifice through designated counters to avoid harassment of traders from various groups.
“We request that arrangements for sale of animals for sacrifice be made through the animal hus bandry depart ment counters across the state, similar to how milk is sold through Vijaya Dairy on Id-ul-Fitr. This move will satisfy all the parties concerned, thereby reducing pressure on police too,” they said in the representation.
The legally permitted animals for sacrifice are oxen, buffaloes and sheep. However, the issue of illegal transportation of cows into the city for slaughter has been troubling police for the past few years as skirmishes between right-wing groups and cattle traders take place on the suburbs of the city .
“We are also sensitising the members of our community not to sacrifice cow and other animals which are prohibited from slaughtering,” Soofi Academy general secretary Moulana Syed Taraq Quadri told TOI.
With cow vigilantism becoming a major headache for the government, city police commissionerates have put check-posts in places such as Chandrayangutta, Santoshnagar, Kanchanbagh, Bahadurpura, Malakpet, LB Nagar, Shamshabad and Narsingi in view of the past disturbances in the city.
At a time when Muslim organisations were looking for a solution to avoid confrontation with cow vigilantes, Syed Basheeruddin of Eidi Bazar and Mohammed Siraj of Shahalibanda were arrested by the Chandrayagutta police on Monday night for illegally transporting two calves. The Hyderabad police said action would be initiated against those who illegally transport cows or calves for slaughtering. To create awareness about animals which could be sacrificed on Bakrid, police were conducting awareness programmes in the Old City .
“A veterinary doctor has been attached to each assistant commissioner of police (ACP) in the South Zone. Cow and calf slaughtering is prohibited. Awareness camps are being held and strict action will be taken if someone transports or keeps cows for slaughtering during Bakrid,” Deputy Commissioner of Police, South Zone, Hyderabad, V Satyanarayana told TOI.
Courtesy: Times Of India