Maharashtra beef ban: Police ask cattle owners to provide 'mugshots' of cows

Mumbai: Police in Malegaon have asked the cattle owners to provide photographs of their cattle along with details on them in view of the new law that bans beef trade in the state.

Malegaon's Additional Superintendent of Police Sunil Kadasne Tuesday held a meeting with the cow owners in the town and asked them to provide proper information to police of their cattle along with photos and guarantee letter - an undertaking that the animal belonged to them.

The decision was taken to maintain law and order in the town in view of the enforcement of the new beef ban law and also to prevent miscreants from spreading rumours, Kadasne told reporters yesterday.

Hence, those keeping cows and calves are required to register with the police along with the animals' photograph for identification, the ASP said.

The meeting was attended by Nashik Additional Collector Ramchandra Pawar, several locals and religious leaders from Malegaon town.

In the first case registered under the new law, two persons were arrested last month by Malegoan police for allegedly slaughtering calves.

A case was registered against three persons and two of them - Mohammed Rashid Akhtar (36) and Abdul Ahad Mohammed Ishak alias Hamed Lendi (28) - were arrested, police said.

Prior to the arrest, police had raided a shack in Azad Nagar area in Malegaon and seized two heads of slaughtered calves and 150 kg of beef.

The Maharashtra Animal Preservation (Amendment) Act, banning slaughter of bulls and bullocks, was enforced by the state BJP-led government on March 4.

Under the law, anyone found selling beef or possessing it can be jailed upto five years and fined Rs 10,000.