In Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, Bhojipura police arrested two men involved in cow slaughter following a “confrontation” in the forest area of Singhai Kayesthan village on Saturday. The accused, Imran Qureshi and Raju Qureshi, were preparing for illegal cow slaughter when police arrived based on prior information. During the encounter, the suspects “opened fire” at the officers, resulting in “retaliatory firing” by the police. Raju Qureshi was hit in the leg and captured at the scene, while Imran was also arrested. Five other suspects managed to escape under the cover of darkness and have been identified as Shakeel, Zahid alias Anda, Javed, Zeeshan, and Nadeem, according to the police.
Police said the encounter began around 2:10 a.m. when officers approached the forest where the accused were hiding. A bullet narrowly missed Constable Rinku, grazing his arm. During the retaliation, Raju was shot in the left leg and apprehended. Authorities recovered an illegal 315 bore pistol, a cartridge, two live rounds, a knife, and cow slaughter equipment from the arrested men.
Read More: Muslim Gym Trainer Beaten, Hospitalised After ‘Love Jihad’ Allegation in Meerut; Booked by Police: Two Men Arrested in Forest Shootout Over Illegal Cow Slaughter; One Injured: Bareilly PoliceImran told police that their gang, including the absconders, would capture stray cows from roads at night, slaughter them, and sell the meat. He also admitted that they were involved in other nighttime thefts. The police have confirmed that both Raju and Imran have extensive criminal histories, with Raju facing more than 18 previous cases.
Circle Officer Highway Shivam Ashutosh said, “The injured policeman and the accused have been sent to the hospital for treatment. We are conducting a combing operation in the forest and surrounding areas to arrest the absconders.” The police have registered a case against the arrested men at the Bhojipura police station, and the search for the remaining suspects is ongoing.
