Guwahati, June 16: Five individuals have been arrested for allegedly throwing beef near a Kali temple in Assam’s Goalpara district, an act authorities suspect was intended to incite communal tension following Eid-ul-Zuha.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Bodir Ali (57), son of Late Jabber Ali; Hazarat Ali (58), son of Riaj Uddin; Tara Mia (36), son of Rupchand Ali; Shajamal Mia (42), son of Late Hazarat Ali; and Jahangir Alom (32), son of Late Amor Ali.
Confirming the arrests, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma posted on X: “Lakhipur police of Goalpara district arrested the individuals for allegedly throwing beef near a temple in a deliberate attempt to incite communal tension post Eid-ul-Zuha.”
The incident occurred on Saturday in the Lakhipur area, where beef was found near a Kali temple.
This incident mirrors similar communal provocations reported in neighbouring Dhubri district, where a cow’s head was discovered near a Hanuman temple on two consecutive nights. Police have arrested 38 individuals in connection with those cases.
Authorities are investigating both incidents as coordinated attempts to disrupt communal harmony.
