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Two suspected beef smugglers from western Uttar Pradesh were arrested near the Delhi border after a gunfight with the Noida police on Thursday morning, officials said.
This was the third incident of a gunfight between the police and suspected beef smugglers since Tuesday, when four men were arrested and around 1,500 kg of the banned bovine meat was recovered in the city.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Noida) Harish Chander said the Phase 3 police station officials had got a tip-off about the movement of suspected cow-slaughterers through the National Highway 24 on Thursday morning.
”Accordingly police checks were set up and one Eicher Canter truck was intercepted for inquiry. However, its driver instead of stopping, sped away the vehicle towards the Hindon pusta. The truck was waylaid by the police party near Garhi Chaukhandi village,” he said.
”A gunfight ensued between the two sides and the accused duo got injured in retaliatory firing by the police. They were soon taken to a hospital for treatment in police custody,” DCP Chander said.
Those held have been identified as Hassan and Farhan, from Sambhal district in western UP, the officer said, adding the duo has been involved in beef smuggling and their associates have been arrested in the past.
The police said they have seized two illegal firearms along with some ammunition and tools used in cow slaughter from the duo's possession while the truck has also been impounded.
An FIR is being lodged in the case at the Phase 3 police station and further legal proceedings are being carried out, the officials said.
On Wednesday morning, the Noida police had arrested two suspected cow slaughterers after they got injured in a gunfight in Sector 68, under the Phase 3 police station limits.
On Tuesday, the police had arrested four men near the Sector 62 roundabout, close to the Delhi-Meerut Expressway, after around 1,500 kg of beef was recovered from their two vehicles, according to officials.
While the three men were held at the spot during checking, their fourth partner, who had managed to escape, was arrested later after a gunfight with the police, the officials said.
The UP Cow Slaughter (Prevention) Act, 2020, bans the slaughter of cows in the state and provides for punishment of up to seven years jail and fine of Rs 3 lakh for offenders.
Earlier this month the Uttar Pradesh police identified that 168 ”animal mafia” are currently active in the state, including the western part, and launched a crackdown on them.