One person from the mob that attacked 48-year-old Shaukat Ali on Sunday, 7 April, has been detained by Assam Police. Ali was beaten up and harassed by the mob for allegedly selling beef in the state’s Biswanath Chariali area.
“A case has been registered and probe is underway. One person has been detained. The CM has also directed us to take strict action. All accused will be arrested soon,” Assam DGP Kuladhar Saikia told ANI.
The Incident
In a video that surfaced on Facebook, the man can be seen being thrashed by a group of men in a market place and questioned on his national identity.
According to police, Shaukat Ali, who has been running a food stall in the area for over three decades, was attacked after the mob found out that he was allegedly selling cooked beef in the weekly ‘haat (market).
In the videos, Shaukat Ali is seen being asked if he was a Bangladeshi, if he has licence and if he had an NRC certificate. In a second video, the mob is forcing Shaukat to eat from a packet, which they claim contained pork meat.
Ali, who sustained injuries, was treated in a local hospital in Assam.
A case was registered with the Biswanath Chariali police station on the complaint of the victim's brother, Sahabuddin Ali, on Monday evening.
Superintendent of Police (Biswanath) Rakesh Raushan said the group also misbehaved with 42-year-old Kamal Thapa, the contractor of the market, for allowing Ali to sell beef dishes.
According to the Assam Cattle Preservation Act, 1950, “Notwithstanding anything in any other law for the time being in force or in any usage to the contrary, no person shall slaughter any cattle unless he had obtained in respect thereof a certificate in writing signed by the Veterinary Officer for the area in which the cattle is to be slaughtered that the cattle is fit for slaughter."
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