Ordering stringent action against cow smugglers in Uttar Pradesh, the Yogi Adityanath government has decided to run a campaign to arrest those absconding for the crime since 2017 and open history-sheets of criminals who were booked in the past decade in the state for cow-smuggling.
News18 has a copy of an order issued by the Uttar Pradesh Police Director General of Police, Devendra Singh Chauhan, last week, which also asks for properties of cow-smugglers to be seized, directs policemen to make watertight cases to ensure these criminals do not come out on bail and are convicted.
The DGP has asked for all cow-smuggling cases of the last decade to be studied to form a new strategy against the crime and zero in on “hotspots”, where cow smuggling incidents are rampant and conduct surprise raids at night.
CM Yogi Adityanath on Sunday also sought effective action against cow smugglers ahead of the festive season. After coming to power in 2017, the Yogi government had ordered that cow smugglers should be booked under the Gangsters Act and the National Security Act (NSA). The latest order states the co-accused or those who assist the cow smugglers should also be enlisted as gangs and “effective action” like the seizure of their properties should be conducted.
“The prosecution of all cow-smuggling cases since 2017 should be reviewed and pending probes be completed. All those absconding after committing these crimes must be cent-per-cent arrested. A review should also be done why they have not been arrested so far and if there has been any negligence,” the order states.
The order states that policemen who are negligent or are complicit in the crime should also be acted against strongly and the smuggled animals must be recovered fully.
“A strong intelligence network should be created to crack down on this crime. Forensic tools should be used at the scene of the crime to build evidence,” the order states.
The order, however, states the police should be cautious while acting against cow smugglers as they have attacked the police in the past with dangerous weapons. The DGP said police should go with adequate strength.
Why the Action?
The DGP’s order states that incidents of cow-smuggling continue in Uttar Pradesh despite earlier directives to stop them. “Due to lack of effective action, anger erupts among people against this cruel crime and there is an impact on communal harmony and law and order,” the DGP’s order states. He said arrests and recovery of the smuggled animals are crucial.
The DGP has also asked for policemen to be briefed on various laws related to cruelty against animals and the Transport of Animal Rules and be updated about the law so that criminals are not able to take advantage of any loopholes in probes.
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