5 nabbed for 'burning cattle bones' at Mala

PANAJI: Panaji police on Tuesday arrested five persons for allegedly burning cattle bones and extracting fat to adulterate ghee.
Panaji police conducted the raid at the Mala shop owned by Mallikjan Bepari, along with representatives of animal husbandry, Goa state pollution control and food and drug administration.
Police arrested Mallikjan Bepari, Samir Bepari, Ashpak Bepari, Kumar Faruk Bepari and Arman Kureshi.
An official of the Gau Gyan Foundation alleged that the butcher used mixed the cattle fat with ghee and sold it at half the market price. Mallikjan, however, stated that he did not mix the animal fat with the ghee.
Residents in the area had filed a complaint with the health department and the police department about the deteriorating and unhealthy conditions caused by the burning of bones. "The smoke and the stench caused by the burning of bones creates breathing problems leading to cough, asthmatic complications, upset stomach, vomiting, etc," a resident stated in the complaint.