On 21st November, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court observed that smuggling of cows and cattle can hurt religious sentiments and is a threat to public order.
The court made the observation while upholding the preventive decision of a ‘cattle smuggler’ named Shakeel Mohammed.
A single-judge Bench of Justice Moksha Khajuria Kazmi stated, “Bovine animals include cows and calves and their illegal smuggling is always viewed by one community only for the purpose of slaughter and, therefore, there is a feeling amongst the people belonging to such community, that the activity hurts their religious sentiments.”
He further added, “The activities of the detenue, against whom number of FIRs stand registered for illegal smuggling of bovine animals, have the potential to disturb even tempo of current life of the community and not only poses law and order problem but would also be a threat to the maintenance of public order in the area.”
It must be mentioned that Shakeel Mohammed was booked under the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act and subsequently detained in March this year.
The Jammu and Kashmir government pointed out that the accused was a hardcore and habitual offender, involved in criminal activities such as rioting, stabbing and bovine smuggling.
It further emphasised that Mohammed’s anti-social activities were prejudicial to public order, which justified his preventive dentention.
