Three men arrested in June for allegedly slaughtering cows have been booked under the National Security Act (NSA), a senior district official said on Wednesday.

Muzaffarnagar: Three men arrested in June for allegedly slaughtering cows have been booked under the National Security Act (NSA), a senior district official said on Wednesday.

According to District Magistrate GS Priyadarshi, Khalil, Bhura and Inam Qureshi were booked under NSA on the recommendation of the local police on Tuesday evening.

They were arrested on 24 June for allegedly slaughtering cows in Katka village under Jansath police station in the district and one quintal of beef was seized from their possession, he said.

The accused have been in jail since then, added Circle Officer SKS Pratap.

State Director General of Police (DGP) Sulkhan Singh had issued a directive in June to all district police chiefs to book those involved in cow slaughter and illegal transport of milch animals for slaughter under the stringent NSA and Gangsters Act in Uttar Pradesh.

"NSA and Gangsters Act is to be invoked against those involved in cow slaughter and trafficking of milch animals for slaughter," the DGP's order said.