In a shocking incident, a 68-year-old Muslim man was abused by the mob, and forced to eat pork for allegedly selling beef in Assam’s Biswanath district. The incident happened on Sunday, April 7 when the mob suspected the man, identified as Shaukat Ali, of selling pork and cornered him.
Reports suggest, the police have detained at least five people after a viral video showed the man on his knees in deep slush, begging to let him go.
The irate mob also proceeded to demand that Shaukat Ali declare his nationality, asking if he is Bangladeshi or if he has a National Register of Citizen (NRC) certificate.
According to local police, Ali is a businessman and has been running an eatery in the area for the last 35 years. The mob accused him of selling beef in the weekly market.
However, the situation worsened when the miscreants started thrashing Shaukat Ali and allegedly forced him to eat pork.
Confirming the incident, district police told that two separate First Information Reports (FIR) have been filed – one of them is by Shaukat Ali’s brother. The police have started an investigation and are on the lookout for the men responsible.
While beef eating is not allowed in Assam, cattle slaughter in the state comes under the purview of the Assam Cattle Preservation Act, 1950. According to the law, only cattle above 15 years of age can be slaughtered after obtaining a “fit-for-slaughter” certificate from a state veterinarian.
