Bill to regulate slaughter, transportation of cattle tabled in Assam Assembly
Guwahati, Jul 12: The Himanta Biswa Sarma-led government on Monday tabled a bill in the Assam Assembly which seeks to ban cattle slaughter and sale of beef in parts of the state where Hindus, Jains and Sikhs are in a majority.
It also makes transportation of cattle from one district to another and outside Assam illegal in the absence of proper documentation.
Offences under the new proposed law - Assam Cattle Preservation Bill 2021 - will be non-bailable.
Sarma, after introducing the bill, said the "new legislation seeks to ensure that permission for slaughter wasn't granted in areas that are predominantly inhabited by Hindu, Jain, Sikh and other non-beef-eating communities or places that fall within five-kilometre radius of a temple, satra, and any other institution as maybe prescribed by the authorities".
Exemptions might be granted for certain religious occasions, he said.
The chief minister further said that there was an imperative need to enact a new legislation and repeal the earlier Assam Cattle Preservation Act, 1950 which lacked sufficient legal provisions to regulate the slaughter consumption and transportation of cattle in the state.
The law, when enacted, will further prohibit a person from slaughtering cattle unless he has obtained the necessary certificate issued by the registered veterinary officer of a particular area.
According to the bill, the veterinary officer will issue a certificate only if he is of the opinion that the bovine, not being a cow, is over 14 years of age.
A cow, heifer or calf may be slaughtered only it is permanently incapacitated, it said.
Also, duly licensed or recognised slaughter houses will be allowed to butcher cattle, the bill maintained.
There will, however, be no restriction on ferrying cattle for agricultural purposes within a district.
One does not need to take permission for transporting cattle to and from registered animal markets for the purpose of sale and purchase within a district.
Anybody found guilty of violating the law shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than three years or fine that may vary between Rs 3 lakh and Rs five lakh or both. If someone convicted under the new law is found guilty of the same or a related offence the second time, the punishment will be doubled.
The legislation shall extend to the whole of the state and the term 'cattle' shall apply to bulls, bullocks, cows, heifer, calves, male and female buffaloes and buffalo calves.
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Passenger slapped during panic attack on IndiGo flight; Goes missing after landing, family seeks ans
Mumbai/Kolkata/Silchar: A shocking incident aboard IndiGo flight 6E138 from Mumbai to Kolkata has gone viral, sparking outrage after a video emerged showing a man being slapped mid-flight while reportedly suffering a panic attack. The victim, identified as Hossain Ahmed Mazumdar from Assam, has since gone missing, and his family is seeking urgent answers.
The video, widely circulated on social media, shows Hossain in visible distress, attempting to leave his seat and reportedly requesting to deboard. As flight attendants tried to calm him down, another passenger suddenly approached and slapped him. The incident triggered immediate protest from fellow travellers.
A young man suffers a panic attack, his co passenger slaps him. Indigo airlines says “All appropriate regulatory agencies have been duly informed, in line with protocol.”
— Rana Ayyub (@RanaAyyub) August 1, 2025
This is a criminal case and the man needs to be on a No Fly List @DGCAIndia pic.twitter.com/dY1gQC6ze0
Hossain, a gym trainer based in Mumbai, was en route to his hometown Katigorah in Cachar district via a connecting flight from Kolkata to Silchar. However, he never boarded the Silchar flight, and his mobile phone remains unreachable. His family, who had gathered at the Silchar airport, are now in distress. Zubairul Islam Mazumdar, a relative, said, “We have no idea where he is. We’ve contacted the police and airport authorities but haven’t received any concrete information.” His father, Abdul Mannan Mazumdar, who is undergoing cancer treatment, said tearfully, “He was our only hope. Now we don’t even know if he’s safe.” In a statement issued on August 1, IndiGo Airlines said: “We are aware of an incident involving a physical altercation on board one of our flights. Such unruly behaviour is completely unacceptable, and we strongly condemn any actions that compromise the safety and dignity of our passengers and crew. Our crew acted in accordance with established procedures. The individual identified as unruly was handed over to the security authorities upon arrival. Regulatory agencies have been informed as per protocol.”
We are aware of an incident involving a physical altercation on board one of our flights. Such unruly behaviour is completely unacceptable and we strongly condemn any actions that compromise the safety and dignity of our passengers and crew.
— IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) August 1, 2025
Our crew acted in accordance with…
However, the airline's statement has been criticised for failing to clarify what happened to Hossain after the incident, whether he received medical help, was detained, or was allowed to continue his journey.
Weak kneed response from @IndiGo6E . Has the man who got physical with a fellow passenger been put on a no-fly list? Has Indigo followed up on its complaint at point of disembarkation? If the passenger was handed over to the @CISFAirport were charges pressed? pic.twitter.com/qXMnfiBbFE
— SANJAY HEGDE (@sanjayuvacha) August 1, 2025
The video triggered widespread anger on social media, with many users interpreting the slap as a possible hate-driven act. However, aviation journalist Jagriti Chandra of The Hindu offered a clarification on X, stating: “The passenger who assaulted a co-passenger aboard IndiGo flight was handed over to law enforcement agencies for unruly conduct. Incident occurred after one passenger was feeling uncomfortable in the flight and wanted to deboard. Both belong to the same religious community.”
The passenger who assaulted a co-passenger aboard IndiGo flight handed over to law enforcement agencies for unruly conduct. Incident after one passenger was feeling uncomfortable in the flight and wanted to de board.
— Jagriti Chandra (@jagritichandra) August 1, 2025
Both belong to the same religious community.
Incident on… https://t.co/f0QPXG5hxG
Despite this clarification, concerns remain about the airline's handling of a visibly distressed passenger, particularly in the context of mental health. Unverified posts circulating on social media claim that Hossain was later found, though there has been no official confirmation from authorities or the airline.
Alhamdulillah! Hussain Ahmed Mazumder, who was assaulted on an IndiGo flight while returning from Mumbai to Silchar and went missing, has now been found safe in Kolkata.
— Munir (@tapadar_1314) August 1, 2025
He is stable and in contact with his family. pic.twitter.com/MEGSGzHTk7
