26 camels rescued in Gurgaon, five accused arrested in two separate cases

Camel was declared the state animal of Rajasthan about two years ago, and its transportation without valid reasons and permission is banned

Twenty-six camels being illegally transported from Rajasthan to Mewat, have been rescued and five persons arrested in two separate cases in Gurgaon.

In the first case, Bajrang Dal members stopped a truck at Bilaspur area on Thursday night and claim to have rescued 13 camels. (HT Photo)

In the first case, Bajrang Dal members stopped a truck at Bilaspur area on Thursday night and claim to have rescued 13 camels. Ashok Yadav, Bajrang Dal member, said they got information of cattle smuggling and signalled a truck coming from Jaipur side.

“The truck driver sped. We chased it and stopped the vehicle near Bilaspur toll. On checking the vehicle, we found 13 camels packed inside it,” Yadav said in his police complaint. He said the feet of all camels were tied and some of them were in an unconscious state.

Yadav said they called the police, who arrested two persons and handed over the camels to an animal rights organisation. The police booked a complaint against two accused -- Qutubuddin Mohammad, a resident of Nuh in Mewat, and Sahjad Guljar, hailing from Baghpat in Uttar Pradesh -- under Sections 428 (killing or maiming animal of the value of ten rupees and upwards), and 429 (milling of maiming cattle of any value) of the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.

Assistant sub inspector Ishwar Singh, investigating officer, said that while the accused claimed they were transporting the camels to Baghpat in Uttar Pradesh, Bajrang Dal activists said the animals were being smuggled to Mewat for slaughtering.

In the second incident, 13 camels were rescued from a truck at Haily Mandi in Pataudi on Wednesday night. The activists of animal welfare organisation People for Animals (PFA) stopped the truck inside which the camels were tightly packed. The police booked three persons -- Imran and Shahjad of Punhana in Mewat, and Vahid of Gangoh in Uttar Pradesh under Section 429 of the IPC and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.

“We received information of camel smuggling and stopped the truck. Initially, the accused said the camels were being transported from Hanumangarh in Rajasthan to Gajipur in UP, but later they confessed that the animals were Mewat-bound,” said Gaurav Gupta, a PFA member.

“Camel was declared the state animal of Rajasthan about two years ago, and its transportation without valid reasons and permission is banned. But since the declaration, more than 1,500 camels have been smuggled out of the state. We have rescued 485 camels since then,” said Babu Lal Jaju, Rajasthan in-charge of PFA.