The Telangana government on Friday warned of stern action against those indulging in the slaughter of cows in connection with Bakr-Eid or Eid al-Adha.

Maintaining that cow plays a vital role in the rural economy, a circular issued in Hyderabad by state animal husbandry department said: "culprits will be punished as per Prohibition of Cow Slaughter and Animal Preservation Act."

"This is to inform the public that nobody should indulge in meting out cruelty to animals and killing of cows. Anybody found involved in those acts, will be punishable as per law," the notification read.

"The government appealed to the public to inform the police, revenue and transport departments in case they come across such incidents. The department would take necessary steps to prevent the killing of cows during Bakra Eid (Eid ul-Adha) season as it witnesses the surge in consumption of meat," director of Animal Husbandry department, D. Venkateswarlu said.

"We along with police and GHMC (Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation), are conducting surprise checks to see if the laws are violated. No female animal of any kind should be slaughtered during the season while cows should not be killed any time," he said.

Bharatiya Prani Mitra Sangh (BPMS) has also urged Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao to stop slaughtering of cows and other cattle on Bakrid and other days and punish the offenders with an iron hand.

In a letter addressed to Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, BPMS president Jasraj Srisrimal , and secretary Mahesh Agarwal have stated "thousands of cows and other cattle have already brought into the city for the purpose of slaughter on the forthcoming Bakrid festival falling on September 12 and 13. However, the law enforcing agencies were not enforcing the provisions of AP (Telangana) Prohibition of Cow Slaughter strictly. They urged the Chief Minister to instruct the authorities concerned to prevent slaughtering of cattle by enforcing provisions A.P (Telangana) Prohibition of Cow slaughter and Animal preservation Act,1977” and “Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 strictly."

They also pointed out as per Supreme Court verdict “Slaughtering of Cows including cattle and buffalo was not an essential religious practice to be performed on the occasion of Bakrid and for that the State government give exemption from the provisions of the animal laws”.

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BY M. DIVYA SRI