Police in Uttar Pradesh’s Kaushambi district have arrested three Muslim women—Shama Parvin, Shaista, and Fatima—on allegations of cooking beef at their home. The arrests followed a police raid after receiving a tip-off that a family was preparing beef. During the operation, four men reportedly fled, while the three women were detained by female officers. Authorities have sent the seized meat for forensic testing to confirm whether it is beef.

Despite the test results still pending, police have already filed a case against the three women. Officials said they are also searching for the women’s husbands and another neighbor, all of whom recently returned from Mumbai. Investigators are examining where the meat was sourced and whether similar purchases had occurred previously.

Uttar Pradesh enforces strict anti-cow slaughter laws, under which possession or consumption of beef can lead to criminal charges. Police frequently invoke these laws in similar cases across the state.