The traders had earlier closed their shops in protest after the MCD shut the 200-year-old slaughterhouse in Idgah under a Supreme Court order and directed the meat traders to shift all operations to the newly constructed abattoir in Ghazipur. The agitators refused to shift, saying the new abattoir lacked adequate facilities and has less capacity, as it was half the size of the Idgah slaughterhouse.

“About 95 per cent of the traders are on strike and are looking forward to the Supreme Court hearing tomorrow, which will hear our plea against the MCD closure notice on Idgah slaughter house,” said Mohammmad Aquin Qureshi, president of the Delhi Meat Association.

Qureshi said they would appeal to the Supreme Court to form an independent monitoring committee that will look into the MCD’s claims of providing enough facilities.