Beef shops across Goa shut down in protest after clash with cow vigilante group

MARGAO: Beef vendors in Goa have staged a statewide shutdown on Monday, a day before Christmas Eve, to protest harassment following a clash with members of a cow vigilante group in Margao last week.

The Quraishi Meat Traders Association has voiced concerns over the safety of its members following the clash between the two groups. "No meat trader will sell beef today. We are very clear about our demands," Anwar Bepari, general secretary of the association, told TOI.

The beef vendors have called for a meeting with the chief minister, Pramod Sawant, urging the government to provide protection for the traders. They are in the process of submitting a memorandum outlining their demands, which include greater security and measures to prevent further harassment from vigilante groups.

Tensions flared at the South Goa Planning and Development Authority Market last week when members of a cow vigilante group, disrupted beef vendors' operations and intercepted a vehicle unloading beef, accusing the vendors of alleged illegalities in the supply chain. What began as a tense standoff quickly escalated into a physical altercation, leaving three beef vendors injured.

The disruption raised concerns over the safety of meat traders in the state, leading to traders downing their shutters on Monday. The shutdown has affected beef sales two days before Christmas, a time when demand for the red meat is usually high.