Maharashtra: Over 200 Cattle Markets Affected As Qureshi Community Protests Vigilante Action Against Traders

Mumbai: Cattle trading at over 200 markets in the state has been hit after the Qureshi community stopped buying animals to protest against attacks on vehicles carrying livestock by vigilante animal welfare and right-wing groups.

The Qureshis, who are traditional butchers, said that the government has been ignoring complaints filed by animal traders against vigilante attacks on drivers and attendants of trucks carrying cattle.

The state bans the butchering of cows and progeny, including bullocks, under the Maharashtra Animal Preservation Act, 1976. However, buffalo do not come under the purview of the law. Imran Babu Qureshi, vice president of the All India Jamiatul Quresh, a community association, said that right-wing groups are intercepting vehicles carrying buffaloes to markets, accusing the drivers of transporting cows.

“Complaints are filed against the drivers and cleaners of the trucks. The animals are confiscated. We do not know where the animals are taken after that. This is causing huge losses in the meat business,” said Qureshi. Members of the community have met senior ministers and the director general of police to inform them about the situation.

Farid Shaikh of the Federation of Maharashtra Muslims said, “It is not just the Qureshi community; farmers who want to sell old buffaloes are not able to do so. They are facing a burden of maintaining animals that are no longer productive.” The traders blamed goraksha groups that send squads to intercept and report illegal animal trade.

Ramnik Gupta of the Hindu Vahini’s goraksha pramukh said that the vehicles stopped by them were operating without any documents or using fake fitness certificates. According to the Maharashtra Animal Preservation (Amendment) Act, 2015, a fitness certificate from a veterinary doctor is required for slaughtering buffaloes.