Slaughterhouse of BSP leader Haji Yakoob Qureshi, who praised Charlie Hebdo attackers, sealed in Meerut

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Lucknow: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Haji Yakoob Qureshi, who justified the terror attack on French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo's office in Paris and declared a prize of Rs 51 crore for the attackers, received a jolt after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directed police officials to prepare an action plan for the closure of illegal slaughter houses in the state.

Two slaughterhouses of political heavyweights BSP leader Yakub Qureshi and former Meerut MP and ex-BSP leader Shahid Akhlaq were sealed in Meerut after the order.

In the recent Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections, Qureshi unsuccessfully contested on a BSP ticket and lost to Bharatiya Janata Party leader Somendra Tomar.

Both Qureshi and Akhlaq accuse the Yogi administration of unnecessarily targetting them. They claim to have all the legal documents to operate their slaughter houses.

Akhlaq termed the police action as an act against minorities.

In line with the BJP's election manifesto, UP CM Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday directed police officials to prepare an action plan for closure of slaughter houses across the state.

The Lucknow Municipal Corporation soon swung into action and sealed nine meat shops in the state capital.

Adityanath also asked officials to ensure a blanket ban on smuggling of cows and said zero tolerance would be exercised in this regard, official sources said.

The Ghaziabad administration sealed 15 slaughter houses operating illegally in the city on Tuesday.

Qureshi had also courted controversy in 2006 when he shot to limelight after he announced a similar prize money for anyone who would kill the Danish cartoonist who drew a caricature mocking the Prophet.