Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said 16 people were arrested for "illegally" slaughtering cattle during Eid a day ago.
He said recovery of cattle parts was reported from multiple locations across Assam, and five illegal slaughter sites were found in two districts of Barak Valley- Gumrah, Silchar and Lakhipur in Cachar, and Badarpur and Banga in Karimganj.
People from the Hindu community blocked roads in Hojai during the day, alleging that some pieces of meat were thrown by miscreants on Saturday night, and while Muslims also held another roadblock and the police had to use batons to disperse protesters, a senior officer said.
"While our Constitution guarantees the right to religious freedom, it equally upholds the rule of law and public order. This Eid-ul-Zuha, disturbing incidents of illegal cattle slaughter and recovery of cattle parts were reported from multiple locations across Assam," Sarma said on X.
Altogether 16 people - nine from Cachar and seven from Sribhumi - have been arrested so far, he said.
"Five cases of cattle parts found including near Cotton University (Kamrup M), Dhubri, Hojai, and Sribhumi (Bagargool)," Sarma added.
The chief minister said the state government is committed to "preserving communal harmony, but not at the cost of lawlessness or cruelty".
"Please be clear that strict action will be taken against all violators irrespective of faith or background," he said. -- PTI
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