In a late-night operation on Saturday, Punjab Police in Khanna district registered a case against seven individuals for the alleged illegal slaughter of cattle. The incident occurred near the Garhi bridge in the forested area of Machhiwara.
Police Raid Based on Tip-Off
Acting on specific intelligence, a police team led by DSP Samrala Tarlochan Singh reached the spot around 9 pm. They were accompanied by Machhiwara Station House Officer Paviter Singh and Samrala SHO Harvinder Singh.
Upon arrival, the officers discovered a grim scene. The police recovered eight animal heads and successfully rescued eleven live animals from the site. The raiding party also seized large quantities of meat and sharp weapons believed to have been used in the slaughter. A pit was found at the location, suspected to have been dug for burying animal remains.
Accused Flee, Activists Arrive
The accused men, who were reportedly caught in the act, fled the scene upon seeing the police. Authorities have identified some of the suspects as Shoket Ali and Shabir, along with four to five other individuals.
Simultaneously, Raman Wadhera, the youth president of Shiv Sena Punjab, arrived at the location with activists from the Gau Raksha Dal. Wadhera claimed he had received a separate tip-off about the illegal activity. He alleged that the suspects panicked, attempted to ram their vehicle into his group, and then escaped into the nearby woods.
Legal Action and Rescue Efforts
The police have invoked the stringent Punjab Prohibition of Cow Slaughter Act against the accused. To apprehend the fleeing men, the department has formed seven to eight special teams.
DSP Samrala Tarlochan Singh assured that the accused would be arrested soon. Meanwhile, the eleven rescued animals were transported to safety and shifted to a gaushala (cow shelter) in the Powat area for care and protection.
