The SP said two cows were rescued from the vehicle (Representational)
A pickup van driver allegedly smuggling cows was shot dead in the early hours of Wednesday by another group of suspected bovine smugglers in Rajasthan's Deeg district, police said.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Rajesh Kumar Meena said the incident occurred around 2 am, adding that police had information that two men were smuggling cows in a pickup van.
As a police team gave the vehicle a chase, the occupants of the pickup truck opened fire at it, he said.
Mr Meena said that at some distance, two other suspected cow smugglers were catching bovines. Seeing the commotion, they opened fire at the pickup van, the officer added.
"A bullet hit the driver of the van that was being chased by police," the SP said, adding that he died of the gunshot wound.
The man was identified as Sandeep and the other person who was with him, Naresh, was caught, he said.
The SP said two cows were rescued from the vehicle.
The other two suspected bovine smugglers fled the spot, he added.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)