Indian state bans eating beef in public

NEW DELHI: The northeastern Indian state of Assam has banned the consumption of beef in public places including restaurants and events.

This is an expansion to an earlier rule that restricted the sale of beef near certain religious places like temples, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said late on Wednesday.

However, the meat can still be purchased from shops and eaten within homes or private establishments in the state.

The consumption of beef is a sensitive issue in India, as cows are revered by Hindus, who comprise 80 percent of the country’s population.

Several states ruled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) - which is also in power in Assam - have cracked down heavily on cow slaughter in recent years.