The atmosphere in Bisada village in Dadri, where Mohammad Akhlaq was lynched last week over rumours of killing a calf and keeping the meat in his fridge, continues to remain tense, especially for those selling meat, including mutton and chicken.
The Times of India reported that meat sellers and restaurant operators in and around the village have temporarily shut shop fearing more such attacks. The district administration however has not issued any orders prohibiting sale or purchase of non-vegetarian items in the village.
Bisada has two restaurants, one a vegetarian eatery, the other which serves non-vegetarian food. The owner of the latter, who has closed his shop, told TOI, “The attack on Akhlaq has polarized the entire area. It has affected the business of non-vegetarian restaurants and hotels. I have decided to close it for my safety."
He added that since he closed his shop, he has been "incurring a loss of several thousand rupees as around 50kg chicken and 10kg of mutton have gone waste."
Another non-vegetarian restaurants operator in the surrounding area who shut his shop told the newspaper that "The incident has spread like wild fire and it has instilled a sense of insecurity among those who eat or sell meat. I have decided to venture into some other business".
50-year-old Mohammad Akhlaq was dragged out of his home on September 28 by a mob and lynched after rumours started doing the rounds that he had killed a calf and stored the meat in his fridge. Akhlaq's younger son Danish was also critically injured.