New Delhi: A madrasa was vandalised by a mob in Behta village in Fatehpur district of Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday, after allegations that a cow was slaughtered in the area.

The mob tore down the boundary wall of the madrasa and pelted stones at it. Some news reports claimed that the madrasa was also set on fire. The madrasa was unoccupied and no injuries were reported during the vandalism.

Police teams were informed that meat was found in three different places in the village, and a team of veterinarians later confirmed that it was beef.

Police have registered two FIRs, one for cow slaughter against a person named Mushtaq and another for the vandalism of the madrasa, registered against 60 unidentified persons. Mushtaq is absconding.

Superintendent of police Ramesh told the Indian Express that first, cow skin and intestine were found near Mushtaq’s house and the police were informed about it. “An FIR was registered against him. There was no such tension in the village. But on Tuesday morning, more meat and two legs of a cow were recovered from a pond behind the village primary school. Police were informed again, and we reached the spot. A veterinary doctor was also called to test the meat. The doctor confirmed that it was beef,” he said.

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According to him, while the police were at the pond burying the meat and body parts, they were informed that more meat and a calf head was found near a local madrasa, which is located close to Mushtaq’s house. “Villagers started gathering there and soon they turned violent. Stones were pelted at the madrasa and its boundary wall was pulled down,” he said.

A resident of the village told the Indian Express that around 60-70 people from the Behta village and other surrounding ones were involved in the violence. The violence apparently began at 10 am and lasted nearly one-and-a-half hours.

Heavy police force has been deployed in the area to prevent any further violence and maintain the law and order situation.

Meanwhile, Fatehpur’s district magistrate Sanjeev Singh said the madrasa that was vandalised was not registered with the Madrasa Board and is run by a local trust. Classes haven’t been held for the past three days, he said, adding that around 60 students attend the seminary.

SP Ramesh said it is unlikely that the the cow or calf could have been slaughtered by only one person. The police are trying to identify others who may have been involved, he said.