Owner of Afghan Cafe Naved Qureshi was arrested by UP Police for allegedly selling beef burgers to customers on Tuesday in Moradabad. Following the arrest the Afghan Café was sealed by the police on Jama Masjid-Prince Road.
Akhilesh Bhadauria, the Superintendent of Police in Moradabad, confirmed the arrest of the 32-year-old owner. The arrest came after a complaint by Abhinav Bhatnagar, a leader of the Bajrang Dal, who claimed that the café’s menu included beef burgers.
Acting on the complaint of Kuldeep Kumar, the in-charge of Mughalapura police station, visited the café, seized the menu, and initiated the process of sealing the establishment.
The controversy erupted on Monday evening when Bajrang Dal activists, led by Bhatnagar, staged a protest at Mughalpura police station. They demanded immediate action against the café owner, accusing him of trying to provoke the local community and disturb communal harmony. “The sale of beef burgers has deeply hurt our religious sentiments. It is an attempt by a minority community member to provoke us, and we will not tolerate practices that threaten the town’s communal peace,” Bhatnagar stated.
The situation intensified as the police registered a case against Qureshi and arrested him. The Afghan Café was subsequently shut down. According to the UP Prevention of Cow Slaughter Act, selling or transporting beef is strictly prohibited. The menu at Afghan Café listed beef burgers priced at ₹110, attracting many customers daily before the crackdown.
Naved Qureshi had recently opened the Afghan Café and had printed menus featuring the controversial beef burger item. The café had become popular, drawing a large number of patrons each day. The arrest and sealing of the café have sparked a significant reaction from the local community, highlighting the sensitive nature of beef consumption in Uttar Pradesh.
