In Uttar Pradesh’s Moradabad district, four members of the right-wing group Bajrang Dal have been arrested for allegedly slaughtering cows and placing carcasses near a police station. The accused aimed to create communal tension and have the Station Head Officer (SHO) removed.
The arrested individuals include Bajrang Dal leaders Sumit Bishnoi alias Monu, Raman Chaudhary, Rajiv Chaudhary, and another man identified as Shahabuddin.
According to the police investigation, the accused not only slaughtered cows but also recorded videos of the carcasses near the police station, uploading them on social media. They tagged district officials and staged a protest, demanding action against the SHO for not preventing the alleged cow slaughter.
Moradabad’s Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Hemraj Meena stated, “Both the incidents seemed suspicious and interconnected. There was definitely some hidden agenda in it.”
The investigation revealed that Bajrang Dal leader Monu had a history of conflict with the SHO, who had previously arrested him for attempted murder.
“After coming out of jail, Monu wanted the SHO to ‘dance to his tunes,’ which the officer refused. To get the SHO out of his way, Monu hatched a conspiracy,” SSP Meena said.
The accused not only stole a cow, slaughtered it, and informed the police but also strategically placed the carcasses on a religious route, aiming to incite communal disturbance and blame the SHO.
Moradabad police have registered two FIRs, including charges under IPC sections 120B (Criminal Conspiracy), 211 (False charge of offence made with intent to injure), 380 (Theft in dwelling house), 457 (house-trespass or house-breaking), and 411 (Dishonestly receiving stolen property), along with sections 3, 5, 8 of the Cow Slaughter Act.
