The Indian state of Haryana has instituted a hotline to report instances of the smuggling and slaughter of cows, police said on Sunday.
The 24-hour helpline will aid the enforcement of a law passed by the state government last year that punishes the slaughter of cows with up to 10 years in prison, the Indian Express newspaper reported. K.P. Singh, Haryana’s top-ranking police officer, further told the Express that roadblocks will be set up to further curb the smuggling of cattle.
The sale and consumption of beef is taboo in many parts of India, with the cow considered a sacred animal by the country’s majority Hindu population. It became a hot-button issue for several months last year following a spate of lynchings — mainly of Muslims accused of killing cows or eating beef.
Recently, the Express reports, a video showed activists from a fringe group called the Gau Raksha Dal, or “Cow Protection Army,” forcing two men to eat a cow-dung-based concoction after they were allegedly caught with beef.
- Donald Trump Was Just Indicted. Here's What to Know About the Charges and the Case
- What Could Happen Next for Donald Trump
- Trump's Indictment Drama Showcased His Rivals' Weakness
- Inside Ukraine's Push to Try Putin For War Crimes
- Bad Bunny's Next Move
- Elon Musk Signs Open Letter Urging AI Labs to Pump the Brakes
- Eliezer Yudkowsky: Pausing AI Developments Isn't Enough. We Need to Shut it All Down
- 'How Is This Still Happening?' A Survivor Questions America's Gun Violence Problem
- Cheryl Strayed Will Always Be Here for You
- Who Should Be on the 2023 TIME100? Vote Now
