Gurgaon: Cow smuggling cases ‘drop’ after enforcement of Act

The Haryana Gauvansh Sanrakshan and Gausamvardhan Act, 2015 was implemented with the aim of checking cow and beef smuggling, and conservation of the cattle. The CPTF was formed in July 2016.

There has been a drop in the number of cow smuggling cases since Haryana implemented a law for protection and conservation of cows in 2015, head of the Cow Protection Task Force (CPTF) said.

n 2016, only 437 people were arrested for cow smuggling.

CTPF head, inspector general of police Bharti Arora, stated this in a letter written to the director general of police KP Singh and chairman of the Haryana Gau Seva Aayog (cow service commission) Bhani Ram Mangla earlier this month.

The letter was written as the government was to file a reply on March 22 to a civil writ petition in the Punjab and Haryana high court on the issue of cow slaughter and protection.

In the letter, Arora also said there is a lack of coordination among the police, the animal husbandry, and the transport departments.

The Haryana Gauvansh Sanrakshan and Gausamvardhan Act, 2015 was implemented with the aim of checking cow and beef smuggling, and conservation of the cattle. The CPTF was formed in July 2016.

Arora refused to comment.

The letter says beef is being openly sold in several areas of Mewat district. The letter also states that due to the “lack of coordination and sensitisation” of police in all districts, prevention of cow smuggling and slaughter remain a low priority crime.

Mangla said an analysis of the letter is being done. “There has been a drop in the number of cases. We have to check whether cow smuggling has reduced or slack policing has led to a drop in cases,” Mangla said. He said a meeting of gau rakshakas and police will be held in Rohtak on April 2 to discuss the issues.

In the letter, Arora has suggested setting up of a dedicated helpline to report cow smuggling, and coordination among police, animal husbandry, and transport departments.