Police deployed at Kadali village in Muzaffarnagar. (Express Photo) Police deployed at Kadali village in Muzaffarnagar. (Express Photo)

Tension prevails at Kadali village in Muzaffarnagar district after a mob attacked the house of a Muslim family on Saturday on suspicion of cow slaughter. The owner of the house, Zeeshan, who managed to slip out the backdoor with his family before the crowd arrived, was arrested on Sunday afternoon.

An FIR has also been lodged against Zeeshan’s wife Sehnaaz and his cousins Saddam on Moota under the Uttar Pradesh Cow Slaughter Prevention Act. Additional Superintendent of Police, Muzaffarnagar, Santosh Kumar Mishra said efforts were being made to arrest the other accused. Zeeshan would be produced before court on Monday.

There is heavy police deployment in the village, which has a mix of Hindus and Muslims. ASP Mishra said the situation was under control.

Circle Officer, Khatauli police station, Hari Ram Yadav said they had got information about violence in Kadali village following a dispute. The police team sent to the spot had found people protesting outside Zeeshan’s house, he said.

“During a search inside the house, we found a slaughtered calf. We have sent it to a laboratory for tests,” said Yadav, who denied that the mob had vandalised Zeeshan’s house.

However, reports said that the people who were looking for Zeeshan had attacked his house, pelting stones, breaking furniture and also damaging one of the walls.

Police tried to pacify the protesters by promising strict legal action against the accused. No action has been initiated against the protesters.

According to information received by police so far, on Saturday, one of the local youths visited Zeeshan’s house for some work and reportedly saw bloodstrains inside. He told the other villagers about this. The news spread, and a Hindu mob assembled outside Zeeshan’s house, reportedly including people from neighbouring villages.

Station House Officer, Khatauli police station, Pankaj Tyagi said, “Sensing trouble, Zeeshan and other accused slipped out from the backdoor of the house.”

Tyagi added that Zeeshan had been arrested under the cow slaughter Act around three years back too, in Meerut.

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