LUDHIANA: Khanna police on Thursday claimed to have busted a gang of inter-state cattle thieves who had allegedly stolen sixty five buffaloes and milk yielding cattle including award winning one, after it arrested five of it’s members.

The arrested accused were identified as Naresh Kumar of Nanakpur Khera in Pinjour of Panchkula, Mohammad Hussain Azad of Ghuman Kalan in Gurdaspur, Sher Ali Sheru of Batala Road, Dera Qadiyan, Muhammad Fazal of Kasba Gangoh in Saharanpur and Bikram Singh Bikar of Gaushala Road, Bharat Colony Rajpura whereas other accused include Sipyahia, Akku, Billa Sunny, Kajoom, Yakoob Pehalwan, Deen, all of Kathua in Jammu and Sammu of Kapurthala. Police have recovered two stolen cattles, one Mahindra pickup bearing number HP-12-D-4004 and Rs.3.85 lakhs from the accused.

Giving details, SSP Khanna, Gursharandeep Singh Grewal said that the police have started a special campaign against bad elements, thieves and misdemeanors. He added that during this campaign, the police teams of Crime Investigating Agency Staff Khanna and SHO Samrala were constituted to curb out the menace of Cattle (Buffalo/Cow) theft from the Police District Khanna.

Police officer said that during investigation of cattle theft case of Samrala area of 8 November last year, police arrested Naresh Kumar, who was driving a vehicle, from Sua Puli Bondli Samrala Bypass. He added that during investigation of the case, it come to notice that the gang has another 10 members and they have a Scorpio car (Delhi registered.).

Cops said that investigation brought to fore that It is an inter-state gang and the members belong to Jammu, Saharanpur (UP) and other Districts of Punjab.

"During questioning, Naresh disclosed that they have committed three thefts in police district Khanna including one on 22 October in night in Rahon area whereon they had stolen three cattles, second on 8 November last year in night hours wherein they had stolen six cattles (Two of them were awarded by PAU University Punjab and their price was 2.5 Lakhs each approximately) in the area of Heddon and they had tied the worker of complainant in the room while committing that theft. They had also stolen three cattle in Manewal village on 11 December last year,” the cops said.

DSP Khanna, Tarlochan Singh said that during investigation, Police party arrested four accused near Malerkotla chownk Khanna, including Hussain ,Sher Ali, Fazal and Bikram. He added that two of them, Fazal and Bikram were dealer of cattles, and they bought cattles on low prices from the accused.

"The arrested Gang members have revealed that they have committed 21 thefts and stolen 65 Cattles from the various districts of Punjab including Khanna, Ropar, Fatehgarh Sahib, Tarn Taran, Hosiarpur, Nawaseher, Amritsar, Moga, Pathankot. They are still being questioned and there is a possibility of major disclosures from them,” DSP said. He added that raiding teams have been constituted to arrest the other accused named in the case.

