The Assam Police have apprehended 196 persons under the state’s Cattle Preservation Act since Tuesday for alleged illegal cattle slaughter and unauthorised sale of beef in eateries.

One hundred and seventy-eight eateries have been searched so far and 1,732 kg of meat, which the police suspect is beef, was seized, Assam Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) Akhilesh Kumar Singh told Scroll on Wednesday.

He added that the crackdown will continue in the coming days.

While consumption of beef is not illegal in the state, the Assam Cattle Preservation Act, 2021, bans its slaughter and sale in areas predominantly inhabited by Hindu, Jain and Sikh communities or in areas that fall within a 5 km radius of a temple or satra (Vaishnavite monastery), or other religious institutions belonging to Hindu religion or any other institution or area as “may be prescribed by the competent authority”. It also places tight restrictions on cattle transportation.

On Tuesday, a drive was initiated in the state to check reported incidents of illegal cattle slaughter and sale of beef in restaurants without authorisation, PTI quoted Kumar as saying.

“The main intention of the drive is to stop violation of the Assam Cattle Preservation Act,” Kumar told the news agency.

However, Gauhati High Court advocate Oliullah Laskar told Scroll that several reports suggest that the recent arrests were based on “false allegations” of the sale of beef in violation of the 2021 Act.

“These actions disproportionately target minority communities, particularly Muslims, under the guise of legal enforcement,” he added.

In December, public consumption of beef, including at restaurants and community gatherings, was banned by the Bharatiya Janata Party government in the state. A legislation or legislative amendment to this end has not been passed yet.

The crackdown on Tuesday came against the backdrop of more than 150 persons being arrested in Dhubri after animal remains alleged to be of a cow were recovered near a Hindu temple, The Indian Express reported.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has claimed that the incident was part of an attempt to create unrest “since Eid-ul-Zuha”.