Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences in Hisar on May 8 clarified that the ‘biryani’ samples sent from Mewat to the university were of ‘cow or ox’. According to a letter written to the in-charge of Government Veterinary Hospital, Firozpur Jhirka (Mewat), the university said, “it is clarified that the term ‘cattle’ mentioned in this report refers to cow/oxen.”
The People for Animals (PFA), Haryana, Chairman Naresh Kadyan on May 2, filed a police complaint and accused government officials of acting ‘slowly’ against biryani traders. He alleged that cows were slaughtered for the biryani ‘without any permit’ in Mewat.
Kadyan also alleged that even after the university gave its report to a veterinary surgeon of Firozepur Jhirka, the surgeon did not hand it over to the police for action.
There were reports of beef biryani was being sold at Nuh, Ferozpur Jhirka, Nagina, Punhana, Bhadas, Shah Chokha, Shikrawa, Rawli in Mewat. Soon after this, directions were issued to the district police to collect samples from shops, hotels and roadside vendors selling meat and biryani.
Dr Y Singh, head of university’s Department of Veterinary Public Health & Epidemiology was contacted by The Indian Express to comment on the matter. Singh confirmed that they had sent a clarification to the veterinary officials.
While speaking with The Indian Express last week Shamsher Singh, SHO of Firozepur Jhirka Police police station, said that in the report ‘word cattle was mentioned and it may refer to other animals’.
In 2016, the biryani samples were collected from seven traders on suspicion that they contained beef.
On August 24, 2016, veterinary officials of the Animal Husbandry Department had sent the samples to the university.
On September 6, 2016, the university had mentioned that ‘all 7 samples are from cattle species’.
However, Mewat’s Deputy Director (Animal Husbandry), Dr Narender Singh told The Indian Express that now their department has nothing to do with the matter. “On the request of police, we had deputed a veterinary surgeon during the collection of samples. And samples were sent to the university. Now, it is between the university and the police department to look into the matter further. The investigation officer of the police may directly approach the university for the lab reports.”
