The cattle markets of Maharashtra, usually bustling with activity during the monsoon season, now wear a deserted look. Since July 13, the Qureshi community and cattle traders across the state have been on strike, protesting what they allege is continued harassment by police and self-styled cow vigilantes. Their central demand: the state must permit the slaughter of unfit bulls and strictly curb vigilante groups who, they say, have turned cattle trading into a dangerous livelihood.
The agitation has paralysed 305 agricultural produce market committees (APMCs) across Maharashtra. Except for Mumbai’s market, trading activity in every major cattle market has ground to a halt. Farmers, who typically sell their old bullocks during this season to raise money for seeds and household expenses, are returning home empty-handed.
“This threatens not only the rural economy but also the state’s meat export industry,” said Anil Khandale, secretary of Jalna APMC. Eight major buffalo meat processing companies in the state — key exporters to Gulf nations — are already facing acute shortages. According to officials, the ongoing strike could affect employment and exports worth thousands of crores.
Deputy Commissioner of the Animal Husbandry Department in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Dr. Nanasaheb Kadam, confirmed that the boycott of buffalo slaughtering and cattle trading in weekly markets across the state has also resulted in significant revenue loss to the government.
“Last year, around 82,000 buffaloes and their progeny were slaughtered in slaughterhouses, generating Rs 9.65 crore for the government at Rs 200 per animal. This year, the slaughter fee was increased to Rs 250 per buffalo, but the income has been negligible due to the ongoing strike,” he said. He added that slaughterhouses and meat processing companies, except the Deonar slaughterhouse in Mumbai, have been shut down due to the strike.
The law and its aftermath
The roots of the crisis lie in the Maharashtra Animal Preservation (Amendment) Act of 2015, which extended the state’s 1976 ban on cow slaughter to bulls and bullocks as well. Violators face imprisonment of up to five years and fines of up to Rs 10,000. While the slaughter of buffaloes is still permitted, the Qureshi community argues that cow vigilantes stop all cattle, including buffaloes.
“Seized animals are sent to gaushalas (cow shelters), and owners are dragged into endless legal battles. This is fueling communal tensions,” said Arif Choudhary, state president of the All India Jamiatul Quresh. “The police also slap charges under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and the Transport of Animals Rules.”
Social activist and lawyer Aqif Qureshi underlined the loophole: “Section 5A restricts the transport of certain animals outside the state, but it does not prohibit transporting bovines, female buffaloes, or buffalo calves within Maharashtra. The Act bans the slaughter of cows and their progeny, but traders are being falsely targeted even when transporting buffaloes. This is a clear misuse.”
The biggest sufferers of the stalemate are small and marginal farmers. Of Maharashtra’s 1.36 crore registered farmers, nearly 75% are small landowners who rely on bullocks for ploughing. Typically, farmers sell old bullocks every five years and purchase new ones. With restrictions in place and vigilantes threatening transport, this cycle has broken down.
“During monsoon and festive seasons, cattle sales peak. But now farmers are returning empty-handed,” said Sainath Chinadore, district president of the Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana.
One farmer at Jalna’s market put it bluntly: “I came to sell my bullock and buy seeds. But there were no traders. I went back with the animal and no money.”
Farmer leader and BJP MLC Sadabhau Khot has taken a strong stand against vigilantes. “What started as cow protection has become an extortion racket. These so-called gau rakshaks stop trucks on highways, demand money, and beat up farmers if they refuse. The law has effectively become a cowherd-killing law, pushing farmers to the brink.”
Khot himself was allegedly attacked and manhandled by cow vigilantes in Pune on August 25, hours after criticising their activities.
Vigilantes and the State’s dilemma
The cow is revered in Hinduism as “Gau Mata,” and in 2015, the Maharashtra government accorded indigenous cow breeds the title Rajyamata-Gomata (State Mother Cow). This cultural reverence, say activists, has been weaponised. “We follow the law, but gau rakshaks are even intercepting buffaloes. This is harassment in the name of religion,” said Choudhary.
After meeting a delegation of the Qureshi community led by former minister Nawab Malik and MLA Sana Malik, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar held a meeting with top police officials earlier this month. Following the meeting, the Maharashtra police issued a circular on August 13 clarifying that only police officers have the authority to act against illegal cattle transport. “It is illegal for private individuals to stop or check vehicles carrying livestock,” the order read.
Yet members of the Qureshi community remain dissatisfied. “The circular does not mention what action will be taken against vigilantes. Without strict enforcement, such groups will continue unchecked,” said Kalim Qureshi, an activist based in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.
In an unprecedented move, Badlapur police in Thane district recently invoked the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against three brothers accused of cow slaughter. The law, typically reserved for terrorism and organised crime, has never been applied in such a case before.
“This Act was designed to combat terror networks and the mafia. Using it for a cow slaughter case is a dangerous precedent,” warned Javed Qureshi, state working president of Jamiatul Quresh. Critics argue that the move signals the state’s willingness to conflate criminal law with politically sensitive issues.
Economic and social fallout
The ongoing deadlock has disrupted livelihoods for nearly 20 lakh people linked to cattle markets, slaughterhouses, and the meat export chain. Butchers, transporters, traders, and even farmers are caught in the crossfire.
The buffalo meat industry in Maharashtra is especially vulnerable. India is one of the world’s largest exporters of buffalo meat, with Gulf nations being major buyers. “Any prolonged disruption can permanently damage India’s credibility as a reliable exporter,” said an industry insider.
On the ground, however, the immediate pain is being felt in villages. Farmers unable to sell old cattle are forced to shoulder the burden of maintaining unproductive animals, leading to mounting debts. With elections due later this year, analysts warn the government cannot ignore the growing resentment in rural Maharashtra
While cow protection laws have strong cultural backing, experts stress the need for balance. “No farmer willingly sells a productive cow. Dairy is a supplementary income for lakhs of families. But forcing them to keep unproductive cattle indefinitely is economically unviable,” said BJP MLC Sadabhau Khot.
Community leaders argue that the law must be amended to permit the slaughter of unfit bulls and bullocks, alongside strict curbs on vigilante activity. “We respect the law. But harassment under its garb is unacceptable,” said Abdul Majid, general secretary of the All India Jamiatul Quresh.
For now, the strike continues, with farmers, traders, and exporters caught in the middle. The deserted cattle markets of Maharashtra stand as stark evidence of a conflict between tradition, law, and livelihood — one that shows no signs of resolution.
Ahmed Noor Qureshi is senior journalist and stringer for PTI in Jalna district.
