Cow slaughter case: Woman held, sent to judicial custody in Sirmaur

A woman has been arrested and remanded in judicial custody in connection with the cow slaughter case that surfaced on the Himachal Pradesh-Uttarakhand border in Manpur Deora. The incident, which sparked major public outrage in both states, involved the discovery of cattle remains along the banks of the Yamuna on the night of March 31.

The arrested woman, identified as Farmana (40), a resident of Kunda Grant in Uttarakhand, was earlier taken into police remand for questioning. According to police sources, she was found to have assisted the prime accused in the illegal activity. After interrogation and based on gathered evidence, she was formally arrested. On Tuesday, a local court sent her to 14-day judicial custody at Nahan Jail.

The Puruwala Police Station team in Himachal Pradesh has so far arrested three individuals in connection with the case. These include Shahnavaz (40) and Irshad (60), both residents of Manpur Deora village, and Farmana, a resident of Uttarakhand. Upon their arrest, the police recovered butchering tools, including cleavers, sharp-edged kukris and wooden blocks used in the alleged slaughter. The duo was initially sent to police remand and later remanded to judicial custody following court proceedings.

One of the accused, a resident of Kunda Grant in Uttarakhand who is currently absconding, has filed for anticipatory bail at the Additional District and Sessions Court in Paonta Sahib. The court is currently reviewing the application.

The case came to light on March 31 when dozens of cattle carcasses were found on the Himachal-Uttarakhand border, causing widespread outrage in the border towns of Vikasnagar (Uttarakhand) and Paonta Sahib (Himachal Pradesh). Protests erupted, with locals taking to the streets demanding swift action.

In parallel investigations, the Uttarakhand police under Vikasnagar Police Station have arrested nine suspects related to similar cow slaughter activities. Among them is Ehshan (22), a resident of Gandewra village in Saharanpur district, Uttar Pradesh, who carried a reward of Rs. 15,000 on his head.

The Manpur Deora incident has triggered significant political and communal tension, prompting coordinated investigation efforts from both Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand police forces. Law enforcement agencies are continuing their search for remaining suspects and are closely monitoring developments to prevent further unrest in the region. Authorities from both states have reiterated their commitment to bringing all accused to justice and ensuring that such incidents do not recur along the sensitive interstate border.

Himachal Tribune