Cop, 3 cow smugglers injured in melee atop Panchgaon Hill in Nuh

Police clashed with cattle smugglers in Nuh, injuring three suspects and a constable. One cow was slaughtered; others rescued. FIR filed.

A shoot-out broke out between a police team and suspected cattle smugglers early Tuesday on Panchgaon Hill in Nuh, when the police tried to avert cow slaughter. Three of six suspected smugglers suffered gunshot wounds to their legs and were apprehended, while a policeman sustained a stab wound near his right eye, officers aware of the matter said.

Three arrested persons were identified as repeat offenders. (Representative photo)

Police said the incident took place around 2.30am and three of the smugglers fled in the cover of darkness, but have been identified. However, one of three cows that were tied up was slaughtered, they said.

“When asked to surrender, one of the suspects opened fire on police and another one slaughtered the cow. Two cattle were rescued as three of the suspects retreated. The suspects kept firing on the raiding team, following which police opened fire and three of them were shot in the legs and caught,” said Harender Kumar, Nuh deputy superintendent of police (headquarters).

The arrested suspects, Mohammad Rahil, Mohammad Tahir and Mohammad Shahzad, all in their mid-30s, were admitted to Shaheed Hasan Khan Mewati Government Medical College in Nalhar, Nuh. The absconding suspects were identified as Mohammad Bilal, Mohammad Shoiab and Mohammad Tasleem.

DSP Kumar said police constable Ajay Kumar sustained a stab wound and was being treated at the Nuh Civil Hospital. “One of the six suspects attacked the constable but it is not yet clear who it was. It will become clear after quizzing the suspects,” he said.

Two countrymade pistols, three live and seven empty cartridges, three knives, two axes, two motorcycles and multiple mobile phones were recovered from the spot, police said. The rescued cows were sent to a shelter house and a veterinary team carried out an autopsy of the slaughtered one, police said.

Police said Tahir and Rahil, siblings, were repeat offenders and were booked in five cases of cattle smuggling. They also said Shehzad was previously booked in two cases.

An FIR was registered against the suspects under Section 109(1) (attempt to murder) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 25 (acquiring, possessing or carrying prohibited arms and ammunition) of Arms Act, section 11 (l) (mutilating or killing any animal using injection or any other unnecessarily cruel manner) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and section 17 (confiscations of vehicles) other relevant provisions of Haryana Gauvansh Sanrakshan and Gausamvardhan Act.