CHANDIGARH: After locals reported that over 20 cattle carcasses were found in the Western Yamuna Canal, authorities identified and arrested the 'cow traffickers' behind the crimes on Monday night in Indri.
The arrested person has been identified as Nakim of Rana Majra village in Panipat. The four others arrested in the same case are Chand Bagri of Babain from Kurukshetra; brothers Azam, Nawab, and Shehzad, hailing from Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh.
The five were allegedly behind a cow trafficking and slaughtering racket. They were reportedly responsible for dumping cattle heads and body parts in the Western Yamuna Canal.
A Haryana Police official said that Nakim and another person were collecting cattle in Indri when they were intercepted and told to surrender. Nakim had allegedly fired at the police. The bullet hit the police vehicle but no one was injured. Nakim was apprehended, but his accomplice managed to escape.
A case was registered under the Haryana Gauvansh Sanrakshan and Gausamvardhan Act, 2015, and Section 238(B) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita at Indri Police Station.
Between March 17 and 21, more than 20 cattle heads and body parts were found in the Western Yamuna Canal, triggering local outrage.
A panchayat meeting was organised in this regard, which was attended by locals, Sant Gopal Das and former minister Karandev Kamboj.
Last week, cow vigilantes and locals blocked roads demanding immediate action and on Sunday gave a 48-hour deadline to the police to arrest the alleged accused.