A cow’s mutilated carcass was found hanging from a tree in the Tundla town of Uttar Pradesh’s Firozabad district. The carcass on the Jalesar Road was discovered by some youths who were out jogging in the morning. When they saw the carcass hanging from the tree and found that its udder and horns were cut off, they rushed to the village to inform others.

The news spread like wildfire and a host of villagers and activists from organisations such as the Hindu Yuva Vahini, Vishva Hindu Parishad and Bhartiya Kisan Union rushed to the spot. They brought down the carcass and blocked the road in protest, according to reports.

Tundla’s Sub Divisional Magistrate Suresh Kumar and Circle Officer Sanjay Verma reached the spot along with a police force from the Narkhi block, and tried to pacify the protesters. The blockade was cleared around 10 am after the police assured due action.

Following an autopsy on the cow by Dr Vinod Kushwaha from Government Veterinary Hospital, Narkhi, and Dr Virendra Singh from Nagla Beech, the carcass was buried, Dainik Jagran reported.

There has been an outrage in the region ever since the carcass’s was found hanging from the tree. Protestors told Patrika that killing a cow and hanging its mutilated carcass on a tree during the holy period of Navratri was a blatant provocation. They warned the administration of dire consequences if they didn’t act promptly in the case.

Tension has further increased in the area as barely two days after the Tundla incident, 15 cows were found dead in Firozabad’s Sirsagunj. The investigation is on and it is suspected that these cows were poisoned, Firozabad’s Superintendent of Police (Dehat) Mahendra Singh told Amar Ujala.

Protesting Bharatiya Janata Party members and activists from various Hindu organisations alleged that these were blatant attempts at provoking sentiments and inciting tension in the region.