Chennai customs foil attempt to export 28 tons of bull meat mislabelled as "buffalo"
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India 
4 November, 2024
Case Summary
Chennai Customs foiled an attempt to export 28 metric tons of mislabeled bull meat to Sharjah from Chennai Port. Officials acted on a tip-off and discovered that the meat, falsely labeled as buffalo meat, had a certificate from Uttar Pradesh’s Animal Husbandry Department. Testing confirmed it was bull meat, prohibited for export under India’s red meat policy. A case was filed under the Customs Act against Universal Food Exports, a Delhi-based company. Its manager, Mohammad Khalid Alam, was arrested but later granted bail. Universal Food Exports has since approached the Madras High Court, with a hearing pending. India’s red meat policy, governed by APEDA, prohibits the export of beef, including meat from cows, oxen, and calves, and bone-in buffalo meat. Only boneless buffalo meat from registered abattoirs is permitted.
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 categorized as 'undecided'. If more details emerge, it would be added to the hate crime database.
Case Status
Perpetrator acquitted
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
