Cattle theft allegations against former Jammu mayor trigger political storm

A political storm has erupted in Jammu over allegations of cow theft and financial discrepancies at a local cow shelter involving senior BJP leader and former Mayor of Jammu, Chander Mohan Gupta.

On Thursday, the Jammu and Kashmir unit of the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), the student wing of the Congress, staged a protest outside the BJP headquarters in Jammu. The protesters, led by NSUI UT president Ajay Lakhotra, burned an effigy of Gupta, demanding swift action in the case.

The protest comes in the wake of an FIR registered at the Bakshi Nagar Police Station against Gupta and nine others, alleging the theft of 13 cows and 24 calves, along with the misappropriation of approximately Rs 97 lakh from the Hare Krishna Gaushala in Shakti Nagar, Jammu.

NSUI has called for the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) and a high-level probe to unearth the full extent of the “smuggling network.”

“This is not just a crime; it is a grave sin against our sacred traditions,” said Lakhotra. “The cow holds deep spiritual significance for Hindus. Gupta’s alleged involvement in smuggling cows for slaughter has deeply wounded the community. How can a self-proclaimed protector of Hindu values betray the very symbol of our faith?”

The FIR was registered following directions from Judicial Magistrate 1st Class (Munsiff) Jammu, Rekha Sharma, on a complaint filed by Rohit Bali, general secretary of the Hare Krishna Gaushala Charitable Trust. The charges have been filed under Sections 316, 318(3), and 325 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.

Reacting to the development, Chander Mohan Gupta addressed a press conference in Jammu, maintaining that the truth will come out through the ongoing investigation. He also questioned the credibility of the complainant.

“Several cases are already pending against Rohit Bali, including allegations of mental harassment,” Gupta said. “He calls himself a protector of cows. I have dedicated four years of service to the city and have worked with the RSS, VHP, and BJP. The cow is sacred to me.”