Picture used for representational purpose only

ALWAR: The growing menace of cow smugglers was on full display in Bharatpur where unidentified cattle smugglers allegedly took away cows from a gaushala (cow shelter) and beat up the care taker on late Tuesday night.

The alleged incident took place under the limits of Kaman police station area. “Gaushala care taker Kanhaiya Lal, also known here as babaji, filed a complaint that some cattle smugglers had attacked him and fled with cows,” said SHO, Vinod Savariya. “The accused took away three cows said,” additional SP (ASP) Deeg Mahesh Meena.

“The suspects have not been unidentified. The care taker said that the accused had come in a vehicle but he was unable to recall the registration number of the vehicle,” Meena said adding that Lal sustained injuries on his hand. “The care taker alleged that he was thrashed by the accused when he confronted them. Our teams are looking into the matter and we have registered an FIR under Rajasthan Bovine Animal Act,” Meena told TOI, adding that teams have been made to nab the accused.

The problem of cattle smuggling has been gradually increasing in the Mewat area which also includes Alwar and Bharatpur region of Rajasthan. The two districts also have dedicated ‘cow protection check posts’ to curb the menace of cattle smuggling. While the efforts are underway to nab the gang, the locals have alleged that police laxity has emboldened the smuggling gangs to steal cows from gaushala. The Mewat region is infamous for criminal gangs including the smugglers who transport cows and firearms to Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

