Over 50 cattle being taken for slaughtering rescued in MP 9 persons held

Bhopal, Jun 24 (PTI) Madhya Pradesh police have rescued more than 50 cattle being transported in three trucks from Punjab to Maharashtra for slaughtering and arrested nine persons in this connection, an official said on Monday.

     The trucks were intercepted on Saturday at Kakarda post under Maheshwar police station limits on the Agra-Mumbai highway in MP's Khargone district, an official release said.

    The police had got information that the cattle were being taken from Amritsar (Punjab) to Solapur (Maharashtra) in three trucks having Punjab number plates, it stated.

    Following the tip-off, the vehicles were intercepted on the Agra-Mumbai road.
    When the truck covers were removed, the animals were found crammed in the vehicles and their necks tied with ropes, the release said.

    The drivers and other persons in the vehicles told the police that they did not a valid permit for transporting the cattle, it said.

    During questioning, it was found the animals were loaded in the trucks at Majitha in Amritsar by two persons -- Sukhdev Singh alias Kaka and John -- and were being transported to Solapur for slaughtering to earn money, the release said.

    The police freed the cattle registered a case against 11 persons under provisions of the Madhya Pradesh Anti Cow Slaughtering Act and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.

    Nine of the accused were arrested while search was on for two others, the police said.
    The cattle, valued at Rs 15 lakh, were shifted to a 'gaushala' at Nimrani in Khargone, they said, adding that the trucks were impounded.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)