2 booked for ‘cruelty against animals’

The Ludhiana (Rural) police have launched a probe into an incident, in which two residents of Saharanpur (UP) were allegedly found causing cruelty against bovine animals, by carrying them inhumanely to Jammu and Kashmir.

Ten cows were rescued from the possession of the accused — identified as Shahnawaj Alam and Ehsan Ali, both residents of Indira Colony in Saharanpur. They were intercepted by activists of the Gau Raksha Dal, led by its state president Nikson Kumar and vice-president Anurag Verma, on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday.

Perusal of an FIR registered under Sections 325 and 61(2) of the BNS and Sections 3, 4 and 8 of the Punjab Prohibition of the Cow Slaughter Act and Section 11 of the Prevention of Cruelty Against Animals Act; at the city police station, Raikot, revealed that the accused were allegedly carrying 10 cows in a vehicle in a suspicious manner from Malerkotla to Jammu on intervening night of Monday and Tuesday.

Complainant Anurag Verma submitted that he, along with activists of the Gau Raksha Dal, had intercepted the said vehicle near Labor Chowk at Raikot and sought intervention of the police, when the accused could not give any satisfactory explanation about the purpose of carrying cows in a cruel manner.

Investigating Officer Gurmeet Singh said further investigation had been initiated to verify allegations leveled by the complainant.