Uttar Pradesh: Muslims slaughtered buffalo near Shiva temple, leading to massive protest by Hindus

The Hindu-majority village of Jogidher in Bareilly district, Uttar Pradesh, has been gripped by tensions following the slaughter of a buffalo by a Muslim family near a Shiva temple on the occasion of Bakrid. The incident sparked protests and led to the arrest of eight men from the Muslim family involved, charged under animal cruelty laws.

The controversy began on June 17, the day of Eid-al-Adha, commonly known as Bakrid. Hindu villagers were outraged after Mohammed Israr, a Muslim resident, slaughtered a buffalo in an open space near his home, close to a Shiva temple. Sangram Singh, a 60-year-old resident, captured the act on video, quickly spreading among the villagers and igniting protests. Singh narrated, “It was around 11 am. We were inside our house when we were overwhelmed by an unbearable stench. My wife went outside and was horrified to see our neighbours slaughtering a buffalo.”

The village, home to approximately 2,500 Hindus and nearly 300 Muslims, had not seen such an act on Bakrid in the past, according to the protesters. Hindu villagers asserted that Muslim residents typically sacrificed goats, and the public slaughter of buffalo marked a departure from the village’s customs.

As the situation escalated, villagers gathered and surrounded the local police station, demanding action. They raised slogans opposing the “initiation of a new tradition on Bakrid.” Initially, the police were reluctant to intervene, citing the incident as part of the Muslim festival of animal sacrifice. However, they acknowledged the villagers’ complaints. They later filed an FIR against eight family members, including Mohammed Israr and his four sons, under IPC section 429 for harming or destroying livestock and under Section 11 of The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.

The accused were charged with animal cruelty, and two of them were detained but released on bail the following day.

Ram Swaroop Kashyap, the village of Pradhan, emphasised the importance of maintaining traditional practices, stating, “This is not about Hindu versus Muslim. It’s about maintaining our traditional practices. If Hindus introduced a new ritual, we would oppose that just the same.” He also called for faster action by the police and the government to prevent such incidents.

On the other hand, Mohammed Kamruddin, a former Pradhan, accused the Hindu majority of leveraging their numbers to suppress Muslim practices. He claimed that animal sacrifice on Bakrid has always been a part of the tradition for those who could afford it and accused Hindu nationalist groups like the RSS and Bajrang Dal of influencing the opposition. Kamruddin advised his community to consider conducting their sacrifices in neighbouring Muslim-majority villages to avoid conflict.

The Hindu community, led by figures like Sangram Singh, has vowed to prevent the introduction of new customs. Singh stated, “Next year, we’ll patrol the streets of Bakrid to ensure there’s no deviation from our village’s customs.”