On March 22, three days after the Bharatiya Janata Party government was sworn in in Uttar Pradesh, Chief Secretary Rahul Bhatnagar wrote a letter to district authorities, informing them that the “priority” of the government was closing down illegal slaughterhouses.

Two days later, he wrote another letter, laying out the “topmost priority” of the government.

The letter was dispatched to all district magistrates and senior superintendents of police. It said: “It is the topmost priority of the government to stop the unauthorised transport and the illegal slaughter of milch animals.”

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The slaughter of milch animals sometimes blows up into a major controversy, which can potentially disrupt the law and order and the communal harmony of a place, the letter added.

Listing the laws governing the transport and slaughter of animals, the letter laid down seven instructions:

  1. That slaughterhouses be regularly inspected to make sure illegal slaughter of animals is not taking place. Strict action to be taken against anyone found indulging in such activity. 
  2. The public announcement system in administrative blocks to be used to make sure animals aren’t being slaughtered anywhere.
  3. All recorded instances of animal smuggling in the last five years will be examined to identify the routes where maximum smuggling takes place. Provisions for random inspections on such routes to be made.
  4. Details of animal smugglers will be recorded in the village crime control notebook – this contains details of all criminals in a particular village and is the primary source of information on unlawful activities. If criminals who had carried out animal smuggling in the past are found to have engaged in such activity again, “history sheets” will be opened against them and strict action taken. 
  5. In every police station area, checks will be carried out at the weekly, monthly, annual animals fairs to make sure rules are being followed. Detailed information to be maintained on traders buying and selling animals.
  6. District authorities to identify both government and private shelter houses where rescued animals can be kept.
  7. A strict vigil to be maintained on routes leading to neighbouring states that are sensitive from the point of animal smuggling. 

The new Bharatiya Janata Party government in Uttar Pradesh has launched a crackdown on on meat shops and slaughterhouses in the state after coming to power. Several meat shops in the state have shut down because of scarcity of meat. Lucknow has suffered considerably, with the only four legal slaughterhouses shut down between 2013 and 2015. On March 21, three meat shops owned by members of the Muslim community had been set ablaze in Hathras.