'Gau Rakshak' found slaughtering cows in UP's Bareilly; Escaped after police encounter
A self-styled cow vigilante, Rahul Singh, was arrested for allegedly being involved in cow slaughter in Bareilly district of Uttar Pradesh.
Uttar Pradesh News: A self-styled 'Gau Rakshak' or cow vigilante, along with four of his aides, was arrested by Bareilly police for his alleged involvement in cow slaughter. The matter came to light after he was found present with three alleged cow smugglers who were arrested by the police after an encounter.
According to police, the suspect, identified as Rahul Singh, was found present along with three cow smugglers – who were nabbed after an encounter with police in Bareilly district on Friday.
Singh, the district president of the Bareilly chapter of the Gauraksha Karni Sena – a self-styled 'cow protection group' involved in alleged cases of cow vigilantism – was found accompanying the accused cow smugglers, police said on Saturday. .
Singh is currently on the run and a manhunt has been launched to arrest him, they said.
A senior police officer said based on information, a police team arrived at Bhojipura area of Bareilly where Rahul Singh, along with four others, was allegedly slaughtering cows near the Devaraniya river.
Police laid siege to the area and asked the accused men to surrender. However, they refused and instead opened fire on the police personnel, prompting retaliation, Circle Officer Harsh Modi told news agency PTI.
“The police fired in retaliation and arrested three persons — Mohammad Saeed Khan, Devendra Kumar and Akram — after the encounter,” officer Modi told news agency PTI.
The officer said that Rahul Singh and another person managed to flee the spot and efforts are on to arrest him, adding that the equipment used for cow slaughter and a pace were seized while arrested trio.
An FIR was registered against the five persons, including Rahul Singh, under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code at Bhojipura police station on Saturday, said Superintendent of Police (Rural) Mukesh Chandra Mishra.
Further investigation into the case is underway, SP Mishra said.
(With PTI inputs)