Bareilly: The village of Jogidher, predominantly Hindu, has been embroiled in tension following the slaughter of a buffalo by a Muslim family near a Shiva temple on Bakrid. The incident, which occurred on June 17, has led to widespread protests and the arrest of eight men from the Muslim family involved, who have been charged under animal cruelty laws.

The controversy erupted when Mohammed Israr, a Muslim resident, carried out the buffalo slaughter in an open space close to his home and near a Shiva temple. This act was captured on video by Sangram Singh, a local resident, and quickly circulated among villagers, sparking outrage and protests. Singh recounted the scene, saying, “It was around 11 am when we were overwhelmed by an unbearable stench. My wife went outside and was horrified to see our neighbors slaughtering a buffalo.”

Jogidher, with a population of approximately 2,500 Hindus and nearly 300 Muslims, had not witnessed such an act on Bakrid before. Traditionally, Hindu villagers noted, Muslim residents would sacrifice goats rather than buffaloes. The public slaughter of a buffalo was seen as a significant departure from village customs.

As tensions rose, villagers surrounded the local police station, demanding immediate action and raising slogans against what they termed as the “initiation of a new tradition on Bakrid.” Initially, police hesitated to intervene, considering the act as part of the Muslim festival of animal sacrifice. However, they eventually acknowledged the villagers' complaints and filed an FIR against eight family members, including Mohammed Israr and his four sons, under IPC section 429 for harming livestock and Section 11 of The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. Two of the accused were detained but released on bail the next day.

Village Pradhan Ram Swaroop Kashyap emphasized the need to preserve traditional practices, stating, “This is not about Hindu versus Muslim. It’s about maintaining our traditional practices. If Hindus introduced a new ritual, we would oppose that just the same.” He called for prompt action from the police and government to prevent future incidents.

Conversely, former Pradhan Mohammed Kamruddin accused the Hindu majority of using their numbers to suppress Muslim practices. He defended the buffalo sacrifice as a traditional part of Bakrid for those who can afford it and criticized Hindu nationalist groups like the RSS and Bajrang Dal for influencing opposition. Kamruddin suggested that his community consider conducting their sacrifices in nearby Muslim-majority villages to avoid further conflict.

Hindu community leaders, including Sangram Singh, have vowed to prevent any deviation from traditional customs. Singh declared, “Next year, we’ll patrol the streets during Bakrid to ensure there’s no departure from our village’s customs.

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