UP cattle smuggling: Police said they've have recovered a country-made pistol. (Representational)
A cattle smuggler was arrested after an encounter in which a police officer had a narrow escape in UP's Gonda, police said on Sunday.
"On the intervening night of March 13-14, a truck carrying 24 bulls -- four of them were dead – was seized,” Superintendent of Police Santosh Kumar Mishra said.
One of the accused -- Dilip Yadav -- involved in cattle smuggling was arrested and a hunt was launched for gang leader -- Saleem -- in the neighbouring Ayodhya district, he said.
"Late on Saturday night, as policemen made an effort to arrest Saleem, he opened fire at them. A bullet hit the bullet-proof jacket of Nawabganj police station SHO Santosh Kumar Singh and he had a narrow escape," SP Mishra said.
“Police fired in self-defence and a bullet hit the leg of Saleem and he was injured," he said, adding the accused was carrying a reward of Rs 25,000 on his arrest.
The SP said an aide of Saleem fled the spot.
Police have recovered a country-made pistol, cartridges and six bulls, he said and added the accused was admitted to the district hospital.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)