Police seized three trucks and rescued 80 bovines late on Friday night in Hindaun town of Rajasthan’s Karauli district, but the alleged cow smugglers escaped.
The incident happened after 24-year-old Taleem from Nuh in Harayna was killed in police firing in Alwar when he and five or six accomplices were allegedly smuggling cows in a pick-up truck on December 6. The other accused managed to escape.
“We received information about the cow smugglers who were transporting bovines in Haryana-registered trucks,” said Adhyatam Gautam, station house officer of Hindaun city police station.
He said police barricaded the Hindaun town to arrest the cow smugglers but they fled away.
Cases have been registered under the Rajasthan Bovine Animal (Prohibition of Slaughter and Regulation of Temporary Migration or Export) Act, 1995 against truck drivers and conductors, Gautam said.
The trucks were designed in such a way that bags of fodder and bovines were kept in blocks. “Police are trying to get details about the Haryana-registered trucks to take legal action against them,” he said, adding the rescued bovines were sent to a cow shelter at Fulwada village.
Police have registered 65 cases against cow smugglers in 2015 in Bharatpur district, 71 in 2016 and 51 till October 2017. Police data shows that 41 cow smugglers were arrested this year.
In the district, 1121 bovines were rescued from cow smugglers in 2015, 403 in 2016, and 210 till May this year. In 2015, Bharatpur police seized 38 vehicles illegally transporting cattle to neighbouring states, 30 in 2016, and 12 this year.
{{/usCountry}}In the district, 1121 bovines were rescued from cow smugglers in 2015, 403 in 2016, and 210 till May this year. In 2015, Bharatpur police seized 38 vehicles illegally transporting cattle to neighbouring states, 30 in 2016, and 12 this year.
{{/usCountry}}On April 1, Pehlu Khan (55) from Nuh in Harayana was waylaid by a mob near Alwar when he was transporting cows for his small dairy farm and beaten up; he died of injuries two days later.
On November 10, 35-year-old Umar Mohammed’s body was recovered from railway tracks in Alwar district. He was allegedly killed by vigilantes trying to stop cow smuggling.