Mr. Balasubamanian,
I reluctantly quote: (I do not think much of manu smirthi)
It is mentioned in Manu Smruti, the law book of Hindus, in chapter 5 verse 30
"The eater who eats the flesh of those to be eaten does nothing bad, even if he does it day after day, for God himself created some to be eaten and some to be eater."
Again next verse of Manu Smruti, that is, chapter 5 verse 31 says
"Eating meat is right for the sacrifice, this is traditionally known as a rule of the gods."
Further in Manu Smruti chapter 5 verse 39 and 40 says
"God himself created sacrificial animals for sacrifice, ...., therefore killing in a sacrifice is not killing.
"Manusmriti (Chapter 5 / Verse 30) says, “It is not sinful to eat meat of eatable animals, for Brahma has created both the eaters and the eatables.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindu_vegetarianism
Historically and currently, those Hindus who eat meat prescribe jhatka meat. This is a common method of slaughter when Bali Sacrifices are made to some Hindu deities, however, Vedic rituals such as Agnicayana involved the strangulation of sacrificial goats. Many Shaivite Hindus engage in jhatka methods as part of religious dietary laws, as influenced by some Shakta doctrines, which permit the consumption of meat. During Durga Puja and Kali Puja among some Shaivite Hindus in Punjab, Bengal and Kashmir, Jhatka meat is the required meat for those Shaivite Hindus who eat meat. Many Vaishnava sects prohibit the consumption of meat, and their relative demographic predominance over some non-vegetarian Shaivite sects leads to a common stereotype that all Hindus are vegetarian.
Many dalit communities eat meat, such as the Chamar community of Punjab, but some may abstain from beef and/or pork, dependent on the village culture.