Cops, local residents lock horns during raid to free cattle

VADODARA: The Panchmahal police had to lob teargas shells on Thursday to disperse mobs that had gathered in Lilesara area near Godhra during an operation to impound cattle there. The police conducted the operation after receiving information that cattle had been gathered in the area for slaughtering.
The police had received information that cattle had been kept in Lilesara in large numbers for slaughter opposite Lilesara MGVCL sub-station.A posse of policemen from Godhra rushed to the area to locate the animals and get them released.
While the police managed to free the cattle and was moving out of the area, mobs started assembling there. Sources said miscreants also pelted some stones on police vehicles.
To ensure that the situation does not run out of the control, police had to lob three teargas shells to ensure that the mobs dispersed. Sources said the stone-pelting by the mobs had damaged a headlight of a police vehicle, but nobody was injured.
"The cattle had been kept at different locations along Maheshri river. The stone-pelting took place from across the river. A mob of 100 people was responsible for the incident," said a police officer.
Police used the help of local cow protection activists to take away the cattle from the area. In all, 81 cattle including male and female calves, oxen and cows were rescued by the police.
Earlier in the day, police seized two light commercial vehicles carrying beef near Kalol. An offence was registered regarding the seizure and forensic experts were called to examine the meat.
The issue was also raised by a group of cow protection activists recently when they claimed that cattle were being stolen in the night. The group had also submitted a memorandum in this regard to the Pancmahal district collector.