Cattle smugglers run over UP cop; 1 killed in encounter

VARANASI: A cattle smuggler was killed while two others were injured in an encounter while they were trying to escape after crushing a police constable to death in UP’s Jaunpur late Saturday night.

Within hours of this incident, another encounter between cattle smugglers and police took place in neighbouring district of Varanasi, leading to the arrest of four men. Two of the accused sustained bullet injuries on their legs, police said.

Jaunpur SP Kaustubh said the encounter in the district took place while police checked vehicles on Azamgarh-Varanasi road following intelligence inputs and tried to stop a pick-up van. “The van broke barricades and fled towards Varanasi, hitting many passers-by in the process. Constable Durgesh Singh tried to stop the van but was crushed under the vehicle. He succumbed to brain hemorrhage around 2.40am,” the SP added.

“The smugglers fled towards Varanasi, abandoning their van. They switched to two motorcycles when police surrounded them. They opened fire on the cops. In retaliatory firing, three of the smugglers suffered bullet injuries. Salman, who suffered bullet injury on his chest, died at the hospital,” he added.

In Varanasi, four cattle smugglers were arrested following an exchange of fire Sunday morning. Additional DCP, Kashi zone, T Sarvanan, said police were conducting vehicle checks in Dhaphi area when they received a tip-off about the movement of cattle smugglers. Police spotted a speeding truck and tried to stop it, but the driver sped past.

“The chase ended near an underpass where the truck got stuck. Four people jumped off the truck and tried to escape. When cops continued the chase, two of them opened fire. In retaliatory action, they sustained gunshot injury on their legs, while two others were nabbed,” the ADCP said. When police checked the truck, they found 24 cattle.