Two Arrested, Two Flee in Betul Cattle Smuggling Attempt
Police in Madhya Pradesh's Betul district arrested two men after an alleged attempt to smuggle 21 cattle toward Maharashtra was thwarted.
A late-night operation in the Jamniya forest area of Madhya Pradesh's Betul district has led to the arrest of two individuals following an alleged attempt to illegally transport cattle. The incident, which took place under the jurisdiction of the Jhallar police station, involved the movement of 21 animals reportedly destined for Maharashtra.
Midnight Siege in Jamniya Forest
The confrontation unfolded around 2:00 AM after intelligence was received regarding the illegal movement of livestock. Acting on tips provided by cow protection volunteers and members of the Rashtriya Hindu Sena, police and activists moved to intercept the group. The animals were found bound with ropes, prepared for transport.
While law enforcement and volunteers managed to apprehend two suspects, the chaos of the nighttime operation allowed two other individuals to escape into the darkness. The police are currently conducting a search to locate the absconding suspects.
Suspects Identified and Alleged Mastermind
The two individuals currently in custody have been identified as:
- Deepak, 35, son of Gulab Kasde
- Munna, 45, son of Shyamlal Kasde
Both men are residents of Dokiya. According to Arjun Chauhan, a member of the protection organization, preliminary questioning suggested that the group was transporting 18 cattle and three cows toward Maharashtra via Jamjhiri. The suspects allegedly claimed they were acting under the instructions of Kishore Ujane, a resident of Dokiya, who remains at large along with another accomplice.
Violence Reported During Operation
The attempt to stop the smuggling was not without conflict. Deepak Malviya, the state president of the Rashtriya Hindu Sena, reported that a physical altercation broke out during the siege. Swaroop Giri Maharaj, a cow protection volunteer and shelter manager, was allegedly assaulted by two of the suspects during the struggle.
Maharaj sustained injuries during the scuffle and was subsequently taken to the Jhallar Health Center for a medical examination. The police are now investigating two distinct aspects of the case: the illegal smuggling of the cattle and the reported physical assault on the volunteer.