Uttar Pradesh: Cow smuggler injured in police encounter in Mathura, arrested

Mathura (Uttar Pradesh) [India], January 4 (ANI): A cattle smuggler sustained a bullet injury in an encounter and was later arrested by the police while another fled away.
The arrested accused has been identified as Rafeeq alias Bhopa, the police said.
The encounter took place behind the Radharani temple in Barsana.
Mathura Rural SP Trigun Vishen said that the Barsana police kept on searching for the vicious cow smugglers after 24 cows were stolen from Brishabhan Khirak Gaushala in the town on December 30.

"On Tuesday, on the basis of the information, station in-charge inspector Pramod Panwar and Hathiya outpost in-charge Arvind Poonia, town in-charge Rohit Singh were hiding behind the Radharani temple in search of vicious cow smugglers. When the police tried to stop two cow smugglers on a bike, they opened fire on the police team. In response to which the police also retaliated," Vishen said.
He further said that Rafeeq sustained injuries in his right leg while fellow cow smuggler Samoon managed to run away.
Police recovered a stolen bike and a pistol with two cartridges from the spot.
Mathura Rural SP said that more than a dozen criminal cases have been registered against Rafeeq in different parts of the country including Rajasthan, Haryana, and Delhi.
"The accused is a habitual offender of cow-smuggling, animal cruelty, etc. Charges of cow-smuggling and animal cruelty, rioting, and robbery are registered against the accused in Mathura, Rajasthan's Bharatpur, and Haryana's Nuh. About 14 cases of cow-smuggling, animal cruelty, attempt to murder, narcotics, illegal weapon smuggling, cheating, forgery, etc. have been registered against the accused in various police station areas of Mathura, Nuh, and Bharatpur," SP said. (ANI)