Maaeshat correspondent |

Mumbai: At a time when the number of new coronavirus cases in India is spreading at a fast pace, Muslims across the nation are now preferring to outsource sacrifice of animals through traders and organisations.

Are you among them planning to hire traders and butchers online who would slaughter the animals and distribute it among the poor and needy?

Wait and think over it again. A number of fraudsters posing as butcher are luring innocents on social media by attracting them through pictures and videos and asking advance online payment.

When Maaeshat correspondent conducted surveys in different parts of the country he found that the trend of luring people in the name of conducting Qurbani has become common in metropolitan cities including Mumbai and Delhi.

These fraudsters target the people on Facebook, WhatsApp or phone call. They pose as clerics of Maktab and Madrasahs that they make the arrangements of ‘ijtemai qurbani’ or collective sacrifice every year. After convincing the people they ask for Rs 1500 or 1300 online payment as advancement and the rest to be paid once the cattle for sacrifice is purchased by them.

It might be mentioned that police and cybercrime departments have warned citizens to beware of fraudsters. They should fall prey to cybercrimes and advised them to enter into cash transactions only after thorough investigation.

Last week, eminent religious scholar and All India Muslim Personal Law Board Secretary Maulana Khalid Saifullah Rahmani had clarified that making sacrifice is obligatory as per Sharia and not doing it despite having the wherewithal is sinful.

“While those who said that money can be donated in lieu of sacrifice have no ill-intention, they have not understood the significance of sacrifice,” he said.