Beef supply normalises as traders get police support

PANAJI: With the alleged harassment of traders by cow vigilantes reportedly blowing over, normal supply of beef to the state has resumed. While a vehicle transporting beef was allegedly intercepted by vigilantes on Wednesday morning, it was let go after the police intervened.
"The Goa police has assured us that they will not let cow vigilantes meddle with beef transport. Police personnel have been deployed at the Keri checkpost to verify our documents, thereby leaving no scope for vigilantes to deem the import of beef from Belagavi illegal. We have been assured that harassment by any such vigilantes in future can be reported to the police and that swift action will be taken," president of the All Goa Qureshi Meat Traders Association, Manna Bepari, said.

Goa was hit by a shortage of beef over the past week after traders limited transportation from Karnataka citing harassment by cow vigilantes.

They alleged that a vehicle carrying beef from Belagavi to Goa was stopped near Keri and damaged despite having all the requisite permissions for transportation.

Fearing for their safety, traders reached out to the police and after being assured of support, normal supply to Goa resumed from Monday.

"We have been bringing in approximately 10 tonnes of beef per day since. Gradually, we will try bringing in around 15 tonnes," Bepari said.

North Goa SP Chandan Choudhary, said no beef trader could be harassed if they possessed valid legal papers. "We have told the traders that if all their documents are in place, we will ensure that nothing untoward happens to them. We have also instructed them to inform the police whenever there is a beef consignment coming in, so that additional police can be deployed at certain spots to ensure safe passage," she said.

The suspension of slaughter activities at the Goa Meat Complex in Usgao, led to meat traders importing less than 10 tonnes of beef from Belagavi per day.

After last week's incident, only 1-2 tonnes of beef were available in the market. Goa consumes an average of 20-25 tonnes per day, of which around 15 tonnes is supplied by the meat traders and 10 tonnes by cold meat operators.