A town in Assam, India’s northeastern state, has been placed under curfew following communal unrest triggered by the discovery of a cow’s severed head near a Hindu temple.

According to India Today NE, local Hindu residents staged protests after the remains were found near a temple dedicated to the Hindu deity of Hanuman, a site of religious significance.

The incident took place in Dhubri, a Muslim-majority town in India’s northeastern state of Assam, which borders Bangladesh.

Demonstrators blocked roads and set tyres on fire, demanding swift justice. Some refused to let police remove the animal remains, insisting they remain in place until “those responsible are identified and arrested”.

It is reportedly the third such incident at the same temple in recent months, deepening suspicions of deliberate provocation aimed at stoking communal discord. The act is seen as particularly provocative in a country where cows are considered sacred by many Hindus.

In response, authorities have imposed a round-the-clock curfew and banned gatherings of more than five people under newly enacted public safety laws. Businesses have been ordered shut, with only essential services—such as hospitals and emergency responders—allowed to operate in Dhubri.

Although cow-related incidents are not uncommon in India, this episode has touched a particularly raw nerve in Assam, a region often marked by simmering ethnic and religious tensions.

Assam’s demographic complexity—Muslims form a majority in parts of the state—has long made it a flashpoint.

Police and paramilitary forces have been deployed to maintain order. Officials say the situation remains tense but under control.