HC take serious view of 'cow slaughtering' in village near Roorkee

Taking a serious view of alleged slaughtering of cows and selling of beef in a village near Roorkee, the Uttarakhand High Court today asked Haridwar police to explain under which law the bovines were being butchered.

A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Rajiv Sharma and Justice Manoj Kumar Tiwari sought the explanation while summoning the Haridwar senior superintendent of police to respond to the allegations in a public interest litigation.

The bench asked the SSP to be personally present before it on August 10, the next date of hearing.

The bench was hearing a petition which alleged that cows were being slaughtered and the beef sold at Solapur Gadha village near Roorkee.

The plea said some of the village natives had obtained permits in 2014-2015 to slaughter cows and sell beef in 2014-2015.

The permits, however, were never renewed later, it said adding that despite their non-renewal, the villagers continue to slaughter cows and sell beef.

In fact, they would even release the blood of the butchered cow in the Ganga, said the petition, adding these activities were not only illegal, but also a serious health hazard to the local residents.

The petition said the residents earlier had lodged complaints with the SSP, who inquired into the matter but took no action against those involved in the illegal trade.