Bhajan Lal led Rajasthan authorities on Tuesday pulled down 12 houses, flattened crops on 44 acres of land, filed a case against 22 people, and suspended 4 cops over the ‘illegal beef mandi’ case in Alwar district of the state.
A day after a suspected ‘beef mandi’ was busted in Kishangarh Bas, a village bordering Ferozpur Jhirka in Nuh, various departments — Police, revenue, electricity, and forest department — jointly took action against the accused.
Officials carried out the demolition of 12 houses of the accused, and destroyed wheat and mustard crops over 44 acres of land using tractors while the high-ranking officers and personnel were present on-site. Power supply to the houses of the accused were also suspended. Authorities shifted around a dozen cows wandering in the area to a cow shelter, before the demolition.
As per the local reports, the beef market was busted after frequent complaints of illegal cow slaughter in Rundh Gidavada and Balrampur villages. It was alleged that 600 cows were slaughtered every month and home delivery of beef was provided to 50 villages. In addition to that, online services were also offered across the NCR. Media reports claim that some people would earn more than 4 lakhs by selling meat.
Several police teams then conducted raids in the villages where alleged beef was being sold in the open, detained some suspects and recovered fresh meat which was sent for testing. “We have recovered some substance which is being scientifically checked. Some suspects have been detained and are being questioned,” Jaipur Inspector General of Police (IGP) Umesh Dutta said.
Rajasthan environment minister Sanjay Sharma reportedly said that the previous government (led by Congress’ Ashok Gehlot) allowed beef business, but they would certainly not tolerate any such act. He was one among those present at the location during ‘bulldozer’ action on properties of suspects caught in a raid at the illegal market set up in the Rundh Gidwada forest, near Kishanpur Bas village.
An FIR has been filed against 22 people, accusing them of indulging in ‘illegal cow-slaughter’ and ‘illegal beef sale’ under sections 3,4,5,8,9 of the Rajasthan Bovine Animal (Prohibition of Slaughter and Regulation of Temporary Migration or Export) Act.
As per the reports, 8 have been arrested so far — Ratti Khan, Sahun, Mausam, Haroon, Jabbar, Aleem, Aslam, Kamil and Saddam.
Action taken against cops for alleged involvement in the case
Live Hindustan reported that the police had full knowledge about the Beef market, but took no action against them. Hence, 4 cops were suspended including an assistant sub-inspector, a head constable and two constables. Whereas, the remaining staff of the Kishangarh Bas police station were shifted to the police lines including the SHO.
On receiving the information of cow slaughter and beef selling in the Kishangarh Bas area, the higher authorities detained the accused and ordered an inquiry against the policemen for not taking action on the complaints regarding beef selling, as reported by The Print.
Further Investigation is underway, Bulldozer action to continue
IGP Dutta reportedly said that various teams were formed for combing operations in four districts of the range. Superintendent of Police Anil Beniwal told the reporters that illegal electricity connections, transformers have also been removed along with the demolition of illegal encroachments. This action will continue till the accused are arrested and all encroachments from government lands are removed, he added.
Following the crackdown by the police, almost all men of the village have fled leaving behind only women, children and the bedridden elderly. Police have started to nab the accused through raids, leaving the villagers in a tense atmosphere.
