JAIPUR: A suspected cow smuggler was killed in a late-night encounter with police in Alwar district of Rajasthan, the latest incident of violence in the region over claims of cattle smuggling.
The incident took place in the Janta Colony area on Wednesday night. A group of 5-7 people were seen transporting cows in a "stolen" mini truck. When police tried to stop them, they opened fire at policemen.
"Two policemen on patrol duty saw 5-7 people loading stray cows in the mini truck. They tried to stop them but the accused drove away.
"The policemen informed the control room following which separate teams tried to intercept the vehicle at SMD circle, Kali Mori overbridge and college circle but the accused opened fire and fled towards the Maujpur House road," Superintendent of Police, Alwar, Rahul Prakash said.
In retaliatory fire, one person, identified as Talim, was killed. The other people fled the spot. Efforts are on to locate them, Superintendent of Police, Alwar, Rahul Prakash said.
Talim hailed from Haryana. The postmortem would be conducted today, police said.
Director General of Police (DGP) OP Galhotra said, "Talim’s body was found in the truck, while the other people abandoned the vehicle when police were chasing it." Five cows, with their legs tied up, were found in the mini truck. One of them was found dead, he said.
A country-made pistol, a mobile phone, a diary and live cartridges were found in the vehicle.
Police suspect the cows were made to drink acid to prevent them from making a noise.
The DGP said it was a "stolen vehicle and the accused had concealed it chassis number".
The encounter killing was being probed by the CID-CB according to the guidelines of the Supreme Court and the National Human Rights Commission, the DGP said.
In April, a dairy farmer, Pehlu Khan, had allegedly died after being thrashed by a mob of cow vigilantes in Alwar.
In November, cow vigilantes allegedly shot dead 35-year- old Ummar Khan, and critically injured his fellow passenger transporting cows in the district's Govindgarh area.