On Monday, 19th August, the Uttar Pradesh Police in the Chandauli area busted a cow smuggling racket arresting 6 persons. One of the accused persons has been identified by the Police as Ajit Kumar, who looted a cattle-loaded truck when it was traveling to a nearby Gaushala last week. The accused is said to have been helped by 5 other persons who also have been booked and arrested by the police.
As per the reports, the incident happened last week on 14th August. However, it came to the fore only after the UP Police confirmed to the media that a cow smuggling racket was busted in Chandauli. The police said that the FIR in the case was booked on 15th August. However, the accused Ajit Kumar was arrested on 19th August while he attempted to flee to Bihar amid the investigation.
“On August 14, two pickup trucks of cattle were seized. A case was registered and the accused were arrested… When the cattle were being sent to a ‘gaushala’, some unknown persons stopped the vehicle and looted it. A case was registered for the same. An accused, Ajit Kumar was caught while going to Bihar… Ajit Kumar and other 5 people were arrested on the spot… More arrests will take place soon,” Chandauli Superintendent of Police Aditya Langeh said on Monday, 19th August.
#WATCH | Chandauli, Uttar Pradesh: On the arrest of a cow smuggling gang, SP Chandauli Aditya Langeh says, "On August 14, two pickup trucks of cattle were seized. A case was registered and the accused were arrested… When the cattle were being sent to a 'gaushala', some unknown… pic.twitter.com/BcqV3HtAnM
— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) August 19, 2024
The accused persons looted the truck loaded with cattle when it was moving towards a gaushala. The police reached the spot immediately after being informed and found that the cattle were stacked and tied closely to prevent them from moving. The police seized two such trucks and arrested accused Ajit Kumar while he tried to flee to Bihar.
The Police have also seized 7 mobile phones and Rs 3160 from the accused person. “Apart from these 6 arrests, some people have been identified who are believed to be a part of this racket. They are Ram Jaggi, Ayush Yadav, and more. These people will also be soon arrested. The currently arrested persons have criminal records in their names. They have earlier been booked in several cases of theft,” Chandauli SP added.
Cow smuggling and slaughtering are a crime in Uttar Pradesh and many other states in India as cows are worshiped and hold sacred importance in Hinduism. Cows are typically connected to Hindu deities like Lord Krishna and are seen as symbols of maternity and life by many. For this, in the Hindu faith, it is extremely insulting to hurt or kill a cow.
In a state with a significant Hindu population like Uttar Pradesh, cow smuggling becomes a very sensitive issue. In the past, several such incidents of smuggling or cow slaughter have resulted in tensions within the state. Like several other Indian states, Uttar Pradesh has strong legislation prohibiting the killing of cows, bulls, and bullocks. The Uttar Pradesh Prevention of Cow Slaughter Act, 1955, was passed to outlaw the killing of cows and to establish rules for the sale and transportation of cattle.
Despite such strict laws, incidents of cow smuggling, cattle smuggling, or slaughter continue to appear, raising concerns about the issue. Such incidents also call for stricter laws and punishment against the accused persons involved.
Further investigation into the case is underway.
