Two people were arrested in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh on Sunday (Dec 21, 2025) after a meat shop owner was attacked on suspicion of transporting beef, police said. The incident sparked an uproar, with the opposition criticizing the government for poor law and order and targeted attacks on minorities.
The victim, Shareef Qureshi, was allegedly attacked while he was transporting meat to his shop on his motorcycle on Saturday (December 20, 2025). The victim’s family alleged that the accused tore up his valid meat purchase documents and then assaulted him, claiming that he was transporting beef.
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“Based on the victim’s complaint, a First Information Report (FIR) has been registered at Harduaganj police station against seven named and many unidentified persons. A sample of the seized meat has been sent to a laboratory for examination. Two persons have been arrested,” Aligarh police said in a statement.
“After the state government recently tried to withdraw the case of the 2015 lynching accused Mohammad Akhlaq in Dadri, communal groups have been emboldened. The Aligarh case highlights the failure of law and order in the state. The ruling regime-backed groups are constantly carrying out extortion attacks under the guise of Muslim people attacking cows, innocuous communities owning and creating an atmosphere of terror against minorities through organized gangs. We demand what strictest action against the accused,” said Shahnawaz Alam, national secretary of the Congress.
The Samajwadi Party (SP) has said that fringe Hindutva elements are disrupting the social harmony of society, with attacks on minority communities. “They believe minorities are easy targets because the government’s response is discriminatory,” said SP spokesperson Ameeque Jamei.
Published – 21 Dec 2025 22:07 IST
