Beef Smuggling Racket Busted, 10 Arrested in Himachal & U’khand
In a major crackdown, an inter-state beef smuggling racket allegedly involved in slaughtering dozens of cows in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand was busted on Monday, leading to the arrest of around 10 individuals. The police are currently searching for the remaining members of the racket.
The racket, which was reportedly involved in the illegal trade of beef, was busted after a joint operation by the police forces of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. The operation was conducted in the early hours of Monday, resulting in the arrest of 10 people, including some key accused.
As per reports, the racket was involved in slaughtering cows in secret locations in both states and then transporting the beef to other parts of the country for consumption. The racket was allegedly run by a gang of smugglers who had established a vast network of buyers and suppliers across the country.
The bust came after protests were held by Hindu organizations in Shimla and Dehradun on Monday, following the discovery of body parts of slaughtered cows in the Yamuna river. The protests were led by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), who condemned the illegal trade of beef and demanded strict action against those involved.
The police said that the racket was operating in the region for several months, and the arrested individuals were involved in the illegal slaughter of dozens of cows. The police are currently investigating the extent of the racket and the number of cows that were slaughtered.
The bust is seen as a major success for the police forces of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, who have been working together to crack down on the illegal trade of beef in the region. The police have also recovered several vehicles used by the racket to transport the beef and seized a large quantity of beef products.
The arrested individuals include several key accused, including the main organizer of the racket, who is currently being questioned by the police. The police said that they are also searching for several other members of the racket who are still at large.
The bust of the beef smuggling racket has been welcomed by Hindu organizations, who have been demanding strict action against those involved in the illegal trade of beef. The VHP, which has been leading the protests against beef smuggling in the region, has praised the police for their efforts in cracking down on the racket.
“We welcome the bust of the beef smuggling racket and appreciate the efforts of the police in cracking down on those involved in this illegal trade,” said a VHP spokesperson. “We demand that the government takes strict action against those involved in the racket and ensures that such incidents do not happen again in the future.”
The police are currently investigating the extent of the racket and the number of cows that were slaughtered. The arrested individuals are likely to be charged under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and the Indian Penal Code.
In a related development, the Himachal Pradesh government has announced that it will set up a special task force to crack down on beef smuggling in the state. The task force will be headed by a senior police officer and will include representatives from the animal husbandry department and the forest department.
“The government is committed to taking strict action against those involved in beef smuggling and will work to ensure that such incidents do not happen again in the future,” said a government spokesperson.
Source: https://repository.inshorts.com/articles/en/PTI/8a954f4f-7383-42cc-b8ef-7b1a3bddde9d
