On November 9, Uttar Pradesh Police seized a large consignment of beef in Greater Noida, uncovering a network that involved the illegal slaughter of cows in West Bengal. The meat was transported in containers to Noida, stored in cold storage, and then supplied to Delhi-NCR and Uttarakhand.
Authorities reported the recovery of 185 tons of cow meat, while Ved Nagar, the National President of the Gau Raksha Hindu Dal, claimed that nearly 250 tons were seized. He further revealed that the Gau Rakshak Dals from Mewat had informed him about the beef being transported in containers.
Nand Kishore Gurjar, BJP MLA from Loni, claimed that the seized beef consignment suggested the slaughter of at least 8,000 cows. He also alleged the involvement of two senior officials in Lucknow, though their names have not been revealed. Nine individuals have been arrested in connection with the case, and there are calls for bulldozer action on the cold storage facility, as well as the imposition of the National Security Act (NSA) on the accused.
Gau Raksha Sangathan alerts Police to beef shipment in Noida
The incident occurred in the Dadri police station area of Noida, when members of the Gau Raksha Sangathan received a tip-off about a beef consignment arriving from West Bengal. Acting on the information, the group intercepted a truck with Haryana registration number HR 38 AE 9185. Upon inspection, banned cow meat was discovered. The police were notified, and samples were sent for analysis, which confirmed that the meat was from cows. The truck driver, Shiv Shankar, and his assistant, Sachin, both from Etah district in Uttar Pradesh, were arrested. During questioning, they admitted to transporting the beef from West Bengal. They revealed that the meat was purchased in bulk from Habibar Mullah and was being transported to SPJ Cold Storage in Nagla Kirani village, Gautam Buddha Nagar district.
9 arrested, Cold storage facility sealed in Beef Smuggling Case
A total of nine individuals have been arrested in connection with the illegal beef smuggling operation, and the cold storage unit involved has been sealed. Among those arrested are Puran Joshi, the owner of the facility, Mohammad Khurshidun Nabi, the director and manager Akshay Saxena. The truck used in the transport and the cold storage unit have both been seized. On November 23, Delhi resident Salimuddin Ansari was also apprehended for his role in the smuggling ring.
During the investigation, the involvement of Shoaib Haqani, Rakesh Singh, and Avinash Kumar was uncovered. All three worked for Toro Primary Private Limited, a company accused of buying and reselling cold-stored beef. They were arrested on November 24, and charges under Section 325 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), as well as several provisions of the Cow Slaughter Act, were invoked.
Noida Police reported the recovery of 185 tons of beef, with 153 tons stored in Chamber 5 of the cold storage unit. The remaining beef was found in a container that had arrived from West Bengal. Authorities estimate the seized beef to be worth around Rs 4 crore. The meat was boneless, as the bones had been removed during processing, and the remaining meat was disposed of following regulatory procedures, with samples preserved for further analysis.
Buffalo meat was written on the packets
The seized beef was packed in black and yellow packets, prominently labelled with the brand name “Hoor”, and marked as “Frozen Boneless Buffalo Meat” in both English and Arabic. The packaging also identified “Murad Karbala Food” as the company responsible for the packing. Additionally, the polythene wraps used for rolling the meat featured several Arabic inscriptions.
Gau Raksha activist Ved Nagar stated that cow protection groups from Mewat had alerted him about the beef shipment. He called the seizure the largest beef haul in India and accused political figures of protecting those involved in the illegal trade. Nagar demanded that the perpetrators be charged under the Gangster Act and the National Security Act. He also threatened to organize a Hindu Mahapanchayat if prompt administrative action was not taken. In a direct challenge to the authorities, he warned that local residents would demolish the cold storage unit if bulldozer action was not carried out. Nagar further expressed concerns about the religious conversion of the facility’s owner, Puran Joshi.
Over 8,000 Cattle Slaughtered: BJP MLA Nand Kishore Gurjar
BJP MLA Nand Kishore Gurjar expressed outrage over the large-scale beef recovery, calling it a shameful incident for the region, especially since Dadri has historically been known for its cow protection efforts. He accused the local police of negligence and alleged that certain officers were not acting with the right intentions. Estimating that over 8,000 cows were slaughtered, Gurjar vowed to bring the matter to the attention of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
आक्रोशित हूं! मन व्यथित है!
हमारे मा. @myogiadityanath जी गौरक्षा के लिए कान्हा गौशाला बनवाकर गौमाता के संरक्षण और संवर्धन के कार्य कर रहे है लेकिन वहीं दूसरी तरफ गौतमबुद्धनगर में पुलिस की नाक के नीचे गौतस्करो के सिंडिकेट के द्वारा 300 टन यानी 8 हजार से ज्यादा गौमाताओं का कत्ल… pic.twitter.com/8bKKba4iwN
— Nand Kishor Gurjar (@nkgurjar4bjp) November 21, 2024
The MLA further claimed that two senior officials in Lucknow were involved in the illegal cow slaughter operation and were profiting from it. He accused these officials of pressuring lower-ranking staff and tarnishing the government’s reputation. Gurjar has called for a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the matter.
