Bijnor police on Friday raided an alleged cow slaughterhouse “operating as a dairy” and arrested six people. Three others, including SP leader and Kiratpur Municipal Board Chairman Abdul Mannan who owns the “dairy”, were on the run, police said.
Eight Bijnor policemen, including two sub-inspectors Irshad Ali and Nareshpal, were sent to the police lines on Saturday for alleged negligence and dereliction of duty. They may face suspension, said a police officer.
“We have initiated action against eight policemen since cow slaughter is a very serious offence, and it happened under their watch. Further action will be taken as per the inquiry reports,” said Laxmi Niwas Mishra, Additional SP of Bijnor.
Police raided the property allegedly owned by Mannan after recieving a tip-off. Police officials from Nangal, Najibabad and Kiratpur were part of the raid team.
“The illegal practice had been going one for the last several months in the garb of a milk dairy in the town. We have recovered seven cows and buffaloes from the place on Thursday. Raids are being conducted to nab the main accused, Abdul Mannan,” said Bijnor SP Dharamveer Singh. Police recovered bovine carcasses stuffed in sacks from the site.
The SP said the state government had approved an ordinance on June 9 this year to make the Uttar Pradesh Prevention of Cow Slaughter Act, 1955 more robust and effective to completely stop the incidents pertaining to cow slaughter.
The accused have been booked under relevant sections of the UP Prevention of Cow Slaughter Act, 1955. Police are likely to invoke the Goonda Act too. Satendra Kumar, in-charge of Kiratpur police station, said Manna had nearly a dozen cases of murder, loot and arson registered against him.
“We have lodged an FIR in this connection against 10 people. We will also in the process of opening a history sheet of the chairman,” Kumar told The Sunday Express on phone.
The Indian Express had earlier reported that the National Security Act was invoked against 139 people in the state till August this year, and 76 of them were arrested in connection with cow slaughter.
