Ahead of Bakri Eid, Maharashtra livestock panel urges week-long halt on animal markets
Mumbai: With Eid-ul-Adha (Bakri Eid) approaching on June 7, the Maharashtra Goseva Ayog, a commission for the welfare of indigenous cows, has issued a directive calling for a halt on all livestock markets regulated by Agriculture Produce Market Committees (APMCs) across the state from June 3 to June 8.
The directive has sparked sharp criticism from several quarters, particularly from members of the Muslim community, who have questioned the intent behind the suspension of sales of all animals, including goats, lambs, and sheep, ahead of the festival, with many also raising concerns about the timing and purpose of such a sweeping restriction, as reported by The Indian Express on Sunday.
According to a circular dated May 27 sent to all APMCs, the Goseva Ayog cited concerns over potential illegal bovine slaughter ahead of the festival and urged market committees to suspend livestock markets during this period. The circular referenced the Maharashtra Animal Preservation Act, which enforces a complete ban on the slaughter of bovine animals (cow progeny) in the state, and urged authorities to "stay vigilant in this matter."
Under current regulations in Maharashtra, the slaughter of cows, bulls, and bullocks is strictly prohibited, irrespective of their age or physical condition. Additionally, the possession of beef is classified as a criminal offence in the state.
Muslim community members argue that the ban will disrupt legitimate trade in non-prohibited animals such as goats, sheep, and buffaloes — animals traditionally sacrificed during Bakri Eid — and adversely impact the livelihoods of farmers, labourers, drivers, and traders who depend on these markets.
“The state needs to take steps to ensure that cow slaughter does not take place. But what is the intent behind shutting down the entire market? If the markets are not held, the trade of non-banned animals such as goats, buffaloes, and sheep will also come to a halt. As a result, daily wage income for farmers, porters, brokers, drivers, the Qureshi-Khatik community, and labourers will stop,” TIE quoted Farooq Ahmad, State Vice President, Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, leading a protest against the circular in Nanded, as saying.
Ahmad further raised concerns about the Goseva Ayog’s authority, stating that the commission is only empowered to make recommendations, and that issuing direct instructions to APMCs to halt market operations amounts to an overreach of its authority.
Defending the directive, Shekhar Mundada, Chairman of the Goseva Ayog, clarified that the circular should be seen only as an advisory, not a binding order. “During the days preceding Eid, a lot of animal transactions—including for slaughter—are carried out with the intent of sacrifice. We only want to stop this from occurring. As far as the stoppage of sale of other animals is concerned, that will happen only for one week,” TIE quoted Mundada as saying.
Maharashtra currently has 305 principal and 603 secondary APMCs, regulated by the Maharashtra State Agricultural Marketing Board under the APMC Act. There are 292 livestock markets functioning across the state, and almost all are regulated by the APMCs.
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Man arrested with Rs 2.54-crore heroin in Mumbai
Mumbai (PTI): Police have arrested a man and seized over 500 grams of heroin worth Rs 2.54 crore in the illicit market from him in Mumbai, officials said on Friday.
The police's Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) made the drug seizure in Santacruz in the western suburbs. The operation was conducted by the Kandivali unit of the ANC on Thursday as part of a special crackdown against drug trafficking in the area, they said.
Acting on specific inputs, an ANC team conducted a raid in Santacruz (East) and intercepted a man. During a search, the team recovered 508 grams of high-grade heroin from his possession, an official said.
The seized contraband, a highly addictive, opioid drug derived from morphine, is estimated to be worth Rs 2.54 crore in the international market, he informed.
Following the seizure, a case was registered against the man under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and he was formally placed under arrest in the early hours of Friday.
The police are currently investigating the source of the drug and trying to identify the intended recipients of the consignment, he said.
