Mandleshwar/Maheshwar (Madhya Pradesh): In a major crackdown to curb illegal cow smuggling, the Maheshwar police, under the direction of Khargone SP Dharmaraj Meena, have taken decisive action against cow smugglers. The operation led to the rescue of 50 cows and the arrest of nine individuals.
On Saturday, acting on a tip-off from an informer, the police were alerted about three trucks from Amritsar, Punjab, transporting cows to Solapur, Maharashtra, for slaughter. The police set up a checkpoint near Kakadda Chowki on AB Road. Soon, they intercepted an Eicher vehicle (PB 02 EL 8277) and three trucks (PB 02 CR 9192, PB 11 CU 3635 and PB 13 AR 1499) coming from Manpur-Indore.
Upon inspection, the police found cows cruelly stuffed inside the vehicles, their necks tied with ropes to the upper iron parts. The drivers admitted they lacked valid permits and were transporting the cattle from Majitha, Amritsar, to Solapur for slaughter.
The police registered cases against 11 individuals under the Madhya Pradesh Cow Slaughter Prohibition Act and the Animal Cruelty Prevention Act. Nine of the accused arrested are Gulshan, 26, Hawal, 21, Vishal, 20, Baljinder Singh, 27, Sunny, 24, Rinku, 32, Gaurav, 32, Joyal, 19, and Johan Singh, 24, all residents of Punjab. Efforts are ongoing to apprehend the remaining two suspects.
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The operation, overseen by SDOP Manohar Gawli and led by Maheshwar police station in-charge Pankaj Tiwari, involved several officers, including SI Mithun Chauhan, sub-inspector Kamal Singh Chauhan, and other dedicated personnel.
The team seized 50 cows valued at approximately Rs 15 lakh and vehicles worth around Rs 90 lakh, totalling assets worth Rs 1.05 crore. The rescued cows were handed over to Bal Gopal Gaushala Nimrani.
This action highlights the police's zero-tolerance policy towards illegal cow transportation and their commitment to animal welfare.
