RATLAM: Right-wing organisations on Sunday blocked a road in Madhya Pradesh's Ratlam city for three hours after bones and red meat, suspected to be of a cow, were found strewn across Idgah Road, prompting the administration to demolish "illegal" parts of houses of two persons allegedly involved in the incident.
The protest took place at the busy Topkhana crossing in the city, bringing traffic to a standstill, and demanding stern action against the accused.
Activists of Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal and Hindu Jagran Manch participated in the agitation and demanded that illegal meat shops in Ratlam city be shut forthwith.
Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Sanjeev Pandey and City Superintendent of Police (CSP) Hemant Chauhan rushed to the Topkhana crossing to convince the protesters to withdraw the protest, which was called off after a written assurance from the two officers.
Manak Chowk police station inspector Anurag Yadav said the police detained Mubarik Qureshi and Asif Qureshi in connection with the recovery of red meat and bones.
An FIR has been registered against them on the charges of cow slaughter and causing enmity among communities besides other sections of the India Penal Code, he added.
"Prima facie, the recovered material is 100 per cent beef," Ratlam Superintendent of Police, Abhishek Tiwari, told PTI over the phone.
The duo has "confessed" that the meat was beef, banned in MP, he said.
Asked whether authorities will send the meat for a laboratory test, Tiwari said, "All procedures will be duly followed".
Yadav said the municipal corporation has demolished illegal parts of the houses of the two men.
Hindu Jagran Manch district president Rajesh Kataria said they will take to the streets again if stern action is not taken.