The National Security Act (NSA) has been invoked against four individuals accused of throwing a severed cow head onto a temple premises in Jaora town, Madhya Pradesh. The incident, which occurred early Friday morning, led to heightened tensions and increased security measures in the town located in Ratlam district.
Additional Superintendent of Police Rakesh Khakha reported that the stringent National Security Act was imposed on the four identified accused- Salman Mevati (24), Shakir Qureshi (19), Noshad Qureshi (40), and Shahrukh Sattar (25).
MUST READ: Patna Tragedy: Boat With 17 People Capsizes In River Ganga, Six Go Missing
Shedding light on the incident, Rakesh Khakha stated, “Mevati and Qureshi were held on Friday while Noshad and Sattar were arrested on Thursday. Noshad has 20 cases against him and has also been externed once from the district.”
In the meantime, it’s important to remember that security has gotten tighter after large-scale protests earlier in the day in Jaora town over the incident. Hundreds of demonstrators called for a Jaora bandh and flocked to the streets, demanding harsh punishment for the suspected parties engaged in the tragedy.
Notably, the police were forced to use a lathicharge to scatter the demonstrators as the protest grew violent. In addition, a sizable police presence has been established to avert any additional escalation.
The incident was discovered when the priest of the Jagannath Mahadev temple in Jaora town, Ratlam district, arrived at the temple in the morning and found the bleeding head of a cow’s calf on the premises. He promptly notified the police and local residents.
According to the police, four individuals were subsequently arrested following a complaint filed under various Indian Penal Code sections for hurting religious sentiments and other offenses.
Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Manoj Kumar Singh, on this stated, “An attempt was made to disrupt the peace and harmony of the area. However, timely measures prevented any flare-up. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav had asked the police and administration to take strict action.”