Muslim men run a cow slaughter racket disguised as daily wage labourers; arrested

Case Summary
Police in Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, arrested five individuals involved in illegal cow slaughter after two encounters. The accused were identified as Mursaleen, Mohammad Hasnain alias Builder, Yameen, Zeeshan, and Junaid. They were reportedly running a cow slaughter racket disguised as daily wage labourers. The first encounter occurred around 10:30 PM in the Civil Lines area. Yameen, Zeeshan, and Junaid were intercepted but opened fire at the police. A bullet struck an officer's bulletproof jacket, saving him from injury. In the retaliatory action, Yameen and Zeeshan were shot in the legs, while Junaid was apprehended unhurt. The second encounter took place near Chadda Bridge in the Bhojpur police station area. Mursaleen and Hasnain attempted to escape on a motorcycle and fired at the police but were injured in their legs before being arrested. An accomplice, Farman, managed to escape. Police recovered firearms, live cartridges, blood-stained soil, and a black Apache motorcycle used by the accused. FIRs were registered under the Arms Act, anti-cow slaughter laws, and sections addressing criminal conspiracy. During interrogation, the accused admitted to operating an organized racket supplying cow meat. They targeted stray cattle at night, slaughtered them in secluded areas, and transported the meat to fulfil orders for events like weddings. Mursaleen and Hasnain revealed that Azizur Rahman, a resident of Mohalla Jama Masjid in Bhojpur, coordinated operations and secured orders. Police confirmed that Farman and Azizur Rahman were still being pursued. The arrested individuals were presented in court and sent to judicial custody.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
The cow is considered sacred in the Hindu religion. Often, cows are slaughtered by non-Hindu perpetrators as a mark of insult to the Hindu faith. There have been several documented cases throughout history where cow slaughter is used as a method to insult the Hindu faith, convert Hindus (by force-feeding beef) and desecrate temples. In all cases of cow slaughter, there is a suspicion of religious animosity against Hindus working as a motivating factor, however, in the absence of any concrete indication, this case is being categorised as 'undecided'. If more details emerge, it would be added to the hate crime database.

Case Status
Arrested

Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
From 2 To 5
Perpetrators Gender
male