Cow stolen and slaughtered at Catholic mission in Shayestaganj, No arrests a week after incident

A cow was stolen and later slaughtered by unidentified miscreants at a Catholic mission in Shayestaganj Upazila, raising concern among local residents.

According to mission sources, the incident occurred in the early hours of May 1 at the St. Francis GBR Catholic Mission in the Sudiakhla area.

The perpetrators reportedly broke open the cowshed and took away a bull. They later slaughtered the animal in an open space behind the mission and fled with the meat. Remains of the animal were recovered at the scene, indicating that the slaughter took place there.

Sumon Sarkar, manager of the mission, said several livestock were being raised under mission funding. The stolen bull was valued at approximately Tk 80,000.

The mission’s in-charge, Father Marcus Murmu, said the mission runs various agriculture and livestock-based programmes. “We also operate a development centre for children with disabilities with the support of donors,” he said.

“We urge the authorities to carry out a prompt investigation, identify and arrest those responsible, bring them to justice, and ensure the overall security of the mission,” he added.

He further noted that educational and welfare activities for children with disabilities are being conducted regularly at the mission, and such incidents risk disrupting these ongoing services.

A written complaint has been submitted to Shayestaganj Police Station. Officer-in-Charge Md Abul Kalam said police are investigating the matter and working to identify those involved.

Contacted by phone Yesterday evening, the OC said a case would be filed and necessary legal procedures are currently underway.

Local sources said the incident occurred about a week ago, yet no arrests have been made so far, further heightening concern among residents.