Ghaziabad: 2 arrested for bid to incite religious strife

The DCP said that samples of the seized meat were sent for testing at government veterinary hospital, and results indicate it was not related to cow

Ghaziabad: The Ghaziabad police on Tuesday busted a plot in which a group allegedly planted meat at a cow shelter, located in a temple premises in Lohiya Nagar, to incite communal conflict a day ahead of Holi, and also alerted Gau Rakshaks (cow vigilantes) to share it.

Interrogation revealed that the woman and her father, Nandkishor Sharma, wanted control of the said Gaushala and intended its operator be arrested for cow slaughter (Sakib Ali/HT Photo)

Police arrested two people on Tuesday and a search is on for three others, including the woman and her father. Officers identified two suspects as Yogesh Chaudhary, 21, and Shivam Pal, 22, residents of a highrise in Raj Nagar Extension.

Police identified the woman as Chaya Sharma, and her absconding aide as Rishabh Pal. The woman had also roped in her friend Chaudhary and his known people in the plot.

“The Gau Rakshaks visited the site. Police were also informed. But police teams noticed the meat pieces seemed to be planted. They also traced the phone number used to inform Gau Rakshaks. It was an old SIM card used by Yogesh. When quizzed, he revealed the entire plot,” said DCP (city zone) Rajesh Kumar.

Interrogation revealed that the woman and her father, Nandkishor Sharma, wanted control of the said Gaushala and intended its operator (Arun Kumar) be arrested for cow slaughter, the DCP added. “The Gaushala operator is a kin of the suspect woman. She and her father run an adjacent Gaushala, and wanted to grab the control of the one run by her relative. So, she along with her friend planned the incident,” the officer added.

The DCP said that samples of the seized meat were sent for testing at government veterinary hospital, and results indicate it was not related to cow.

An FIR was registered under at Sihani Gate police station by BNS sections for false charge of offence made with intent to injure and statements conducing to public mischief at the Sihani Gate police station.