New Delhi: With the arrest of three accused, police claimed to have busted a UP-based cow-slaughtering gang active in Delhi-NCR, police said.
"Delhi Police Joint Team of AATS/NED and PS Karawal Nagar busted a cow slaughtering gang of Sambhal (UP) active in Delhi-NCR and solved the cow slaughtering case and arrested three accused," police said.
According to the police, the apprehended accused have been identified as Wajhat alias Ajju (32), Jahane Alam alias Jahna (30), and Sajid alias Sadva (28). All the accused are residents of UP's Amroha district.
A four-wheeler vehicle used in the commission of crime has also been recovered, police said.
The main accused, Sajid alias Sadwa, is a notorious criminal who was caught earlier by UP Police in an encounter, and he came out of jail in July 2023.
According to North East Delhi DCP Joy Tirkey, a PCR call was received in Karawal Nagar police station on December 24 informing that some severed heads of cow and other parts were found near Janki Panchal Vihar, Karawal Nagar, Delhi.
Accordingly, a case under Section 429 and 424(4) of the IPC and Section 12 of the Prevention of Cruelty Against Animals Act was registered at Karawal Nagar Police Station, and an investigation was subsequently taken up.
During the course of the investigation, all possible efforts were made to trace the accused persons. Several CCTV footages were analysed, and upon analysing the CCTV footage, a 'Honda City' car was found involved in the case, police said.
The route of the car was followed, and it was found that three people disembarked from the car near Seemapuri Depot, Delhi.
Based on collected inputs and information, the police zeroed in on three suspected persons and succeeded in arresting them from their rented accommodation in Old Mustafabad, Delhi. On verification, their identities were established.
On sustained interrogation, the accused confessed to their crime and further disclosed that they procured the 'Xylaxin' injections used to make cows unconscious from a chemist in Jafrabad and used to lift stray cows from various areas of Delhi-NCR.
According to the police, 17 syringes and 34 needles were also recovered from their possession.
All three accused persons have been found to be dreaded criminals, previously involved in more than 15 cow slaughtering cases registered in Nagli (UP), Shalimar Bagh, and Gokulpuri, while other locations are still being verified, police said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)