The Ahilyanagar Municipal Corporation's anti-encroachment team swung into action on Thursday, September 18, against five illegal slaughterhouses constructed using sheet sheds in residential premises in the Zendigate area of Nalegaon. These structures, made of large and solid sheet sheds, were demolished with the help of JCB machines. The action was carried out by a team led by Engineer Suresh Ithape, on the orders of Ahilyanagar Municipal Commissioner Yashwant Dange.
Two days earlier, cattle remains were found on the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Road and in the Kothala area. Following this, National Congress Party-Ajit Pawar (NCP) MLA Sangram Jagtap, MLA Vikram Singh Pachpute and Hindutva activists had staged an aggressive road blockade, demanding action against illegal slaughterhouses. In response, Municipal Commissioner Dange and the Encroachment Removal Department had inspected the Zendigate area.
NCP MLA Sangram Arun Jagtap said, "Following reports of cow slaughter in Ahilyanagar, the Municipal Corporation and police administration assured action. Overnight, the accused were arrested and action was taken at the site where the slaughter occurred."
A report on these illegal slaughterhouses, submitted by the police, had already been handed to the civic body. Based on this, five shed-based slaughterhouses were demolished on Thursday. Notably, two slaughterhouses in the same area were demolished two months ago.
Meanwhile, Engineer Suresh Ithape revealed that a public toilet in the same area, under the Municipal Corporation, was also being misused for animal slaughter, and it has since been shut down. Additional Superintendent Vaibhav Kalubarma, Deputy Superintendent Shirish Wamane, Police Inspector Pratap Darade, Anand Kokare, the Rapid Action Force, and a large police contingent from Kotwali and Topkhana police stations were deployed during the demolition drive.
In a related development, the local crime branch arrested Tarbej Abid Qureshi (24), a resident of Vyapaar Mohalla, Ahilyanagar, for allegedly dumping beef on the road in the Kothala area. According to Police Inspector Kiran Kumar Kabaddi, Qureshi had engaged two minors to carry out the act. Police also seized the moped used in the crime. A case has been registered against him at the Bhingar Camp Police Station.