Forensic report confirms cow slaughter

SURAT: Navsari police have so far arrested 39 people for attacking a police team on October 7 which had gone to Dabhel village to verify reports about illegal slaughter of cows there. At least 250 slaughter house operators and villagers had attacked the five-member police team.
"Police have collected strong evidence against the accused, who attacked the police team.Forensic examination of the blood samples and meat collected from the slaughter house at Dabhel established that cow slaughter activity was being carried out there," said N P Gohil, investigating officer of the case.
"Knives recovered from the slaughter house and blood stains as well as meat pieces examined on the spot by the forensic science laboratory officer have confirmed that cow slaughter activity had taken place there. The claim by villagers that no cow slaughter activity took place in the village is wrong," Gohil added.
Police investigation revealed that the police team was attacked as part of a conspiracy when it arrested a slaughter house operator. The attack was carried out when the team was leaving with the accused after instructing locals not to touch anything in the slaughter house, police said. "Policemen escaped for cover because of the attack and before the backup force could reach the spot, the accused had washed the place to remove proof of slaughter activity. The bodies of calves and chopped meat were removed from the location," police said.
Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind president Maulana Arshad Madni, during his visit to Dabhel, alleged, "The incident in Dabhel was result of police attack on locals and that no cow slaughter had taken place in the village."
Police claimed that they have with them photographs of the spot with chopped calves to show. They plan to produce the photographs as evidence in the court. "Police were assaulted twice, first when they raided the spot of cow slaughter and second when the backup team reached the village," police said.
Police have identified 90 people for their involvement in the violence and 39 have been arrested. The other accused have fled from the village. Four persons have been arrested for giving shelter to the accused.