Tripura: BSF jawan, 4 others injured in clash over cattle slaughter

🔴 The incident happened at Tukkar Chowmuhani village in Sepahijala district, 50 km from Agartala. A brawl between a few BSF personnel and a family over the alleged slaughtering of a cow in an open area led to protests from the villagers.

A brawl between a few BSF personnel and Sufiulla's family over the alleged slaughtering of a cow in an open area led to protests from the villagers, said the police.

Five people, including a Border Security Force (BSF) personnel, were injured in an alleged clash between the forces and villagers over cattle slaughter in Sepahijala district on Sunday.

The incident happened at Tukkar Chowmuhani village in Matinagar, 50 km from Agartala, said the police and added that no complaint was registered with them.

Sushil Kumar of the BSF’s 150 Battalion sustained injuries and was rushed to a local hospital, a senior police officer told The Indian Express. He was later referred to Govind Ballabh Pant (GBP) Hospital in Agartala.

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The injured villagers, identified as Sufiulla (30), Ershad Miah (60), Motiqul Islam (50) and Anwara Begum (60), were discharged from the local hospital after primary treatment, said the police.

A brawl between a few BSF personnel and Sufiulla’s family over the alleged slaughtering of a cow in an open area led to protests from the villagers, said the police.

“If they stopped us by talking, we would certainly have respected the law keepers. But they assaulted us, did lathi charge. We are humans too”, a villager told reporters after people from the local community blocked the busy Boxanagar-Sonamura road for nearly 30 minutes before senior police and BSF officials rushed to the spot and quelled the discontent.

The injured BSF official Sushil Kumar was allegedly attacked by a section of angry villagers when he arrived at the location of the protest. He was initially not present at the spot when the clash occurred, said the police.

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A peace meeting is being organised on Monday to ensure cooperation between the security personnel and the local community.

Earlier, in November 2018, five migrant workers were detained at Manubankul village in Sabroom of South Tripura district for alleged cow-slaughter after protests from a group led by Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP).

They were detained under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and Section 429 (Mischief by killing or maiming cattle, etc., of any value or any animal of the value of fifty rupees) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).