A 55-year-old woman died, reportedly of a panic attack, after police raided her home in Bijnor in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh to see if she was storing beef, which, it turned out, she wasn’t.
Uttar Pradesh enforces strict laws against cow slaughter, with violations punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to Rs500,000 (£4,500). The state’s anti-cow slaughter law not only bans the animal’s killing, but even the sale and transport of beef.
Cow is considered sacred and worshipped by Hindus, the vast majority of India’s population.
Police reportedly sent four constables to Razia’s house in Khatai village of Bijnor after an informer reportedly said she was keeping beef. Police did not find any beef, however.
The family of Razia, identified by only her first name, alleged that she was scared when policemen stormed their home.
Police, however, claimed that she died of an asthma attack and that her death was unrelated to the raid for beef.
This story was originally published in independent.co.uk. Read the full story here.