SC halts punitive bulldozing of 25 Muslim homes in Madhya Pradesh over cow slaughter case

The allegation of cow slaughter and the subsequent registration of an FIR against nine Muslims, among whom one was arrested under the NSA, followed by the order to bulldoze 25 homes belonging to Muslim families in Madhya Pradesh's Khandwa district on the demand of Hindutva groups, have led the Supreme Court to order that no punitive action be taken until its further consideration of the case.

The Supreme Court’s interim order came after the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) moved a Special Leave Petition (SLP) challenging an order of the Jabalpur Bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, which had permitted the demolition drive, and though the matter is not yet listed for further hearing, the order could curb the authorities from advancing with the demolition.

A legal team of APCR, comprising Advocates Nizam Pasha, Ahmad Ibrahim, Kabeer Paul, Awstika Das, and Advocate-on-Record Lzafeer Ahmed BF, prepared and filed the petition on an emergency basis.

The case is based on the police filing an FIR against nine persons over the alleged cattle slaughter incident in Etwa tehsil. One of the accused was detained under the NSA, whereupon Hindutva organisations agitated by blocking the Mundi Highway on 20 June, demanding that stringent action, including bulldozing, be taken against the accused.

According to APCR, it had earlier approached the Madhya Pradesh High Court, which initially stayed the demolition of four houses. After fresh notices were served to dozens more families, the organisation again sought judicial intervention, securing interim protection for additional households. With the Supreme Court's latest order, the proposed demolition of all 25 houses has been suspended pending further proceedings.