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SHO among 10 cops suspended for burying beef, hiding seized car in Moradabad
Ten policemen, including an SHO, were suspended in Moradabad for allegedly covering up beef smuggling by burying evidence and hiding a vehicle.
Ten policemen, including a station house officer (SHO), have been suspended in Moradabad for allegedly attempting to cover up a case of beef smuggling by burying meat and hiding the car in which it was found, police said.
Senior superintendent of police (SSP) Satpal Antil ordered the suspensions, and a departmental inquiry has been initiated against the police personnel who allegedly attempted to suppress evidence.
According to officials, the episode unfolded late on Monday night when a UP-112 police team intercepted a suspicious car in the Umri Sabzipur forest area under Pakbada police station limits. While the occupants fled the scene, large quantities of beef were allegedly found in the vehicle upon inspection.
Pakbada station in-charge Manoj Kumar was among the officials who arrived at the scene.
Instead of seizing the beef and the car as per protocol and informing senior officers, the involved personnel allegedly dug a pit to bury the beef and hid the car at an undisclosed location away from the police station. Sources claimed that some officers might have engaged in negotiations during the incident, further escalating the severity of their misconduct.
Apart from Manoj Kumar, sub-inspectors Anil Kumar, Mahavir Singh and Mohd Taslim, head constables Basant Kumar and Dhirendra Kasana, and four constables have been suspended for concealment of evidence.
The matter came to light when the SSP got wind of the incident on Tuesday. He dispatched a special operations group (SOG) team to investigate the claims.
In the presence of a veterinarian, the buried beef was retrieved from the pit and examined. The inquiry exposed significant lapses and arbitrary actions by the involved officers, prompting immediate disciplinary measures.
Further investigation revealed that the beef was being transported from Gajraula in Amroha, where a cow slaughter had allegedly taken place, toward Kundarki in Moradabad. The car is registered to Mohammad Shami, a resident of Sadat Mohalla in Kundarki.
The SSP has directed the SOG to track down and apprehend the smugglers involved in the incident. A case has been registered at the Pakbada police station to pursue legal action against the perpetrators.
The SSP said, “Negligence of Pakbada police has come to our attention, and based on the circle officers’ investigation report, 10 personnel have been suspended. No form of negligence will be tolerated, and we are committed to upholding the law.”
