Cattle being taken to Rajasthan for slaughter rescued in Gurugram: Police

According to investigators, the truck driver first attempted to pass through the barricades, but when that proved impossible, he sharply steered the vehicle above the median to change lanes and escape

The Gurugram police’s cow protection unit intercepted a truck near the Pataudi toll plaza on the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal expressway and rescued 13 cattle that were being smuggled to Rajasthan from Punjab for slaughter, police officers associated with the case said on Wednesday.

In the FIR, the complainant said that the suspect told police that the cattle were being smuggled to Rajasthan for slaughter. (Representational Image)

According to police, the incident occurred at 12.30am on Wednesday. They said that after receiving a tip about the smuggling, the protection team erected a barricade near the plaza to check vehicles.

According to investigators, the truck driver first attempted to pass through the barricades, but when that proved impossible, he sharply steered the vehicle above the median to change lanes and escape.

However, investigators said the truck’s tyres exploded as soon as it hit the median at high speed, rendering it immobile. The driver then attempted to flee on foot, but was pursued and apprehended, said police officers.

He was identified as Gulzar, a resident of Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. According to investigators, cattle, all bulls, were inhumanely stuffed in the truck with tied limbs, jaws, and heads. They were freed and taken to a cattle shelter in Farrukhnagar for treatment because several of them were injured, said officers, adding that the truck was later removed from the scene using a crane.

A first information report was registered against the driver on the complaint of assistant sub-inspector Jaibir Singh, posted in the cow protection cell, under sections 279 (rash driving or riding on public way) and 336 (acting rashly or negligently as to endanger human life or the personal safety of others) of the Indian Penal Code, section 11 (beating, kicking, overloading, or torturing animals) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, and section 13 (1) (contravening prohibition of cow slaughter), and the Haryana Gauvansh Sanrakshan and Gausamvardhan Act, 2015, at the Farrukhnagar police station, said officers.

In the FIR, the complainant said that the suspect told police that the cattle were being smuggled to Rajasthan for slaughter.

“Investigation is underway to identify others involved in this smuggling ring,” said Subhash Boken, Gurugram police’s public relations officer.