Beef found in Kanpur cowshed, two cow smugglers held after encounter

A day after cow meat was found in a sack in a gaushala in Kanpur's Bithoor, two cow smugglers were injured in a police encounter. Police also recovered pistols and weapons used in cow smuggling from the possession of the accused.

Two cow smugglers sustained bullet injuries on Friday morning near a cow shed after an encounter broke out between them and police in Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur. On Thursday, a massive protest erupted after cow meat was found in one of the cow shelters at Bani village in Kanpur’s Chaubepur block.

Tension prevailed in Bithoor after cow meat was found kept in a sack inside a room and a cow’s head was found in a drain outside the gaushala. Soon after this, Bithoor police launched an investigation and had assured action against the accused.

The accused that were involved in the encounter have been identified as Fareed alias Munna and Salim and the remaining two accused escaped from the spot.

Police recovered two pistols along with live cartridges, weapons such as axes and knives used for cow slaughter from the possession of the accused.

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Kanpur DCP BBGTS Murthy told India Today, "Two people were seen going with a cow in the morning near the cow shed near Tikra village of Bithoor police station. When the police tried to stop them, they started running away and opened fire at the police. During this, two youths, Fareed and Salim, sustained bullet injuries in the leg and were arrested later."

Murthy added, "During the investigation, it was found that they were carrying cows for smuggling. While two of his accomplices escaped, both the injured have been admitted to the hospital."