Team Goemkarponn
Panaji: Aldona MLA Carlos Alvares Ferreira on Friday raised strong objections to the growing trend of vigilante-led meat seizures in Goa, calling it a “dangerous and illegal” practice that is disrupting communal harmony and affecting the meat supply chain across the state.
Ferreira expressed concern over reports of meat confiscations being carried out without the mandatory presence of a certified veterinary officer. Terming such actions “unlawful,” he stressed that only qualified veterinary professionals are authorized to inspect or intervene in matters related to meat hygiene or beef transportation.
The senior Congress legislator alleged that certain “fringe elements” were instigating such raids, especially around religious feasts and festivals, which in turn caused panic, supply disruptions, and artificial meat shortages during peak demand periods.
Citing a recent incident in Mapusa, Ferreira said police—allegedly under pressure from these groups—raided a private residence on suspicions of beef possession. The accusations were later proven baseless, but Ferreira highlighted that the operation was carried out in the absence of a veterinary officer, thereby violating legal protocols and rendering the raid invalid.
Ferreira called for immediate government intervention to curb such vigilantism and ensure all actions related to meat transportation and inspection are carried out strictly within the legal framework.
“This rising trend of beef policing by self-styled enforcers is dangerous, divisive, and unlawful,” he said, urging authorities to uphold the rule of law and prevent further communal tension.
