Hindu groups to hold protest march over beef seizure

A large-scale protest march will be held in Phagwara on Saturday, July 12, by members of several Hindu organisations, including various factions of Shiv Sena, Vishav Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal and Parshuram Sena.

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The peaceful procession, set to begin at 12.00 pm from Shri Hanumangarhi Temple, comes in response to public outrage over the recent recovery of a significant quantity of sealed beef from a cold storage facility allegedly operating behind Jyoti Vaishno Dhaba on GT Road.

The decision to organise the protest was taken during a joint meeting of the groups held at Hanumangarhi Temple, under the leadership of Inderjit Karwal, State Senior Vice-President of Shiv Sena Punjab. Leaders including Harsh Bhalla (President, Bajrang Dal Doaba Zone), Rakesh Gosai (President, Gau Shala Committee Phagwara), and Gurdeep Saini (State General Secretary, Shiv Sena UBT) participated in the meeting.

Speakers condemned the delay in arresting those allegedly involved, particularly the Dhaba owner Manjit Singh, and criticised what they described as the failure of local police and administration to act decisively. The groups demanded immediate arrests, identification of vehicles used in alleged cow smuggling, seizure of properties linked to the accused and strict punishment under existing laws.

Organisers emphasised that the protest aims to raise public awareness against cow slaughter and to demonstrate unified pressure on authorities to investigate and dismantle the entire alleged network behind the incident.

Separately, the Khatri Sabha (Regd.), Phagwara also convened an emergency meeting under the chairmanship of General Secretary Shankar Jhanji, with President Madan Mohan Bajaj (Guddu) and Vice President Davinder Bhalla in attendance.

Members observed a two-minute silence for the slaughtered cattle and called for the harshest punishment for the accused, even advocating for new legislation if needed. The Sabha criticised political leaders for remaining silent and appealed to the broader Khatri community to participate in the protest march.

Organisers have assured that the demonstration will remain peaceful and disciplined, while reaffirming their commitment to justice and the protection of religious sentiments.