After their arrest, a court sent the duo to the central jail in Ujjain (Representational)
Two men have been charged under the National Security Act (NSA) for illegal transportation of cattle and disruption of public peace in Madhya Pradesh's Agar Malwa, police said on Friday.
The incident comes three days after the Kamal Nath-led government invoked the stringent NSA against three people accused of cow slaughter in Khandwa district. This is the second instance of a cow-related incident where the NSA was evoked.
"The two accused -- Mehboob Khan, a resident of Lambikheda in Ujjain district, and Rodumal Malviya of Agar Malwa -- were arrested on Thursday under the NSA for transporting cows illegally and disrupting public peace," police said.
After their arrest, a court sent the duo to the central jail in Ujjain, they said.
According to police, Agar Malwa town had witnessed tension on January 29 in the bus stand area when the two accused were carrying cows in their vehicles. People had protested against them, after which the market was shut.
"They were found to be involved in such activities in the past as well, which had led to disruption of peace in the area," police said.
The NSA was invoked against them after a report was sent in the matter.
"In the past, four cases of illegal transportation of cows were registered against Mehboob and three cases against Rodumal, because of which the administration imposed the NSA against them," police said.
On Tuesday, three persons were arrested in Khandwa for cow slaughter and charged under the NSA.
Talking to reporters in connection with the Khandwa case, senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh had said it is the police who decide which sections should be applied and invoking the NSA appeared unnecessary in that case.
The National Security Act empowers the government to detain people for up to a year if they suspect that they could disrupt public order, endanger the security of India or its ties with foreign countries.