In coordinated late-night operations, police in Uttar Pradesh's Ballia and Jaunpur districts engaged in separate encounters with alleged cattle smugglers, resulting in the arrest of two wanted individuals after they sustained bullet injuries. The incidents occurred on Wednesday night, with police teams acting on specific intelligence inputs.
Encounter in Ballia: Accused Fired at Police Team
According to AP (Southern) Kripa Shankar, officers from Bairiya police station were on a routine night patrol when they received a tip-off. Informants alerted them that a wanted cattle smuggler, also an accused in cow slaughter cases, was hiding near the Brahmababa place at Chand Diyar.
When the police raided the location and attempted to apprehend him, the accused, identified as Amit Yadav from Shahganj in Jaunpur district, opened fire at the officers in a desperate bid to escape. The police team retaliated in self-defence, shooting Yadav in the leg and successfully taking him into custody.
During interrogation, it was revealed that Yadav had tried to flee earlier in the morning when police intercepted a truck loaded with 23 cattle in the Thekaha Dhala area. From the scene, police recovered a country-made pistol and several cartridges. The injured smuggler was promptly rushed to a hospital for medical treatment.
Jaunpur Operation: Car Without Number Plate Triggers Action
In a parallel incident in Jaunpur district, Kutahan police station in-charge Chandan Kumar Rai led a team based on information about criminal movement on the Gabhiran-Marhat bridge road. The area was cordoned off, and vehicles began to be checked.
Officials noticed a suspicious car moving without a number plate. When police signalled the vehicle to stop, the occupants allegedly opened fire on the police team and tried to speed away. The police responded with retaliatory fire, leading to one occupant, Rohit Yadav, being shot in the leg.
Along with Rohit, police also arrested his accomplice, Sajid. A search led to the recovery of the car, a country-made pistol, cartridges, and cash amounting to Rs 950. Police confirmed that Rohit Yadav is a seasoned criminal with 16 cases already registered against him. He too was taken to a hospital under police guard.
Aftermath and Ongoing Investigations
Both operations underscore the continued crackdown by Uttar Pradesh police on networks involved in illegal cattle smuggling and slaughter. The use of firearms by the accused highlights the risks law enforcement faces during such interventions.
The police have registered separate cases and are investigating the wider networks of the arrested individuals. The recovered cattle in the Ballia case have been seized, and efforts are on to determine their origin. The conditions of the injured accused are reported to be stable.
