In Madhya Pradesh’s Khandwa, beef was being feasted at an engagement ceremony on 2nd January. As soon as the information was received, the police reached the house of the accused and recovered 60 kg of undercooked beef. Along with this, 10 kg of raw beef was also recovered from the fridge. The police have also recovered 8 legs of the slaughtered cows in polythene.
In the Jawar police station jurisdiction of Khandwa, this incident occurred on Tuesday, 2nd January 2024, in Fokatpura Mundwara. During the engagement celebration of Shabnam Bibi’s daughter, Yasra, aged 19, beef was prepared for the attendees. Upon receiving this information, the police promptly arrived at the scene. They confiscated the meat for analysis and initiated an investigation. In addition, family members involved in the event were interrogated following the registration of the case.
During questioning, Shabnam Bibi informed the police that she had purchased the meat for 4000 rupees from Javed, son of Sheikh Babu, known locally for butchering animals. Shabnam claimed ignorance about whether the meat was beef or another type. Subsequently, the police designated Shabnam Bibi’s daughter as the primary accused in the case and filed charges under Section 5/9 of the Cow Progeny Slaughter Prohibition Act 2004, documented in Crime FIR No. 0004/2024.
Acknowledging that the incident occurred during an engagement ceremony, the police exercised restraint. Although the prohibited meat was seized, no immediate arrests were made at the location. The investigation is ongoing, and the suspects were summoned for questioning on Wednesday (3rd January). Ganga Prasad Verma, the officer in charge of the Jawar police station in Khandwa, has confirmed the details of the case in an interaction with OpIndia.
Ganga Prasad Verma said that the police team initially visited the area to conduct raids related to a different case. However, they received a tip from an informer about beef being prepared at an engagement party in Fokatpura Mundwara. This led the police to the location. Verma stated that they discovered 60 kg of partially cooked beef and an additional 10 kg stored in a refrigerator at the scene. Moreover, 8 legs, packaged in polythene, were also found on the premises.
Ganga Prasad Verma conveyed that samples of the recovered meat were dispatched to the veterinary hospital in Khandwa for analysis. At the hospital, a team of veterinarians comprising Dr Priya Sisodia, Dr Neeraj Kumud, and Dr Naveen Tiwari conducted the examination. The preliminary verbal report from these tests identified the meat as beef. A comprehensive report is expected to be delivered within 36 hours.
Ganga Prasad Verma noted that the remaining bovine remains were transported back to the police station and disposed of following legal procedures. Addressing the lack of arrests, Verma mentioned that since the incident was associated with an engagement ceremony, stringent measures were not enforced. He emphasised that caution was exercised to prevent any disruption to communal harmony.
Verma stated that an FIR has been filed and the suspects have been summoned for interrogation. He added that as the investigation progresses, additional charges may be applied if deemed necessary. Verma assured that none of the accused will be spared.
