UP: ₹25,000 Bounty Cow Smuggler Arrested in Varanasi Raid
Chandauli police and SWAT teams arrested a bounty criminal linked to a cow smuggling case in a Varanasi rented house.
In a major breakthrough against cattle smuggling, the Syedraja police, alongside SWAT and surveillance teams, successfully apprehended a wanted criminal carrying a ₹25,000 bounty. The accused was tracked down and arrested from a rented accommodation in Varanasi during a coordinated operation on Sunday.
The Hunt for the Wanted Smuggler
The arrested individual has been identified as Manish Singh (39), son of Ramjit Singh. While his permanent residence is in Shivrampur Kala, Jaunpur, he had been staying in a rented house in Belwa Baba Lamhi, under the Lalpur police station limits in Varanasi.
The arrest marks the culmination of an investigation stemming from a high-stakes incident that occurred earlier this year. Manish Singh was a key wanted person in a case involving the illegal transportation of cattle.
The Incident That Triggered the Case
The investigation traces back to June 5, 2026, when the Syedraja police were conducting routine checking at the Jamaniya Tiraha. Acting on a tip-off from an informant, the team shifted their focus to the Bhatija Mod cut near NH-02.
During the operation, police spotted a white Bolero pickup approaching from the Chandauli side. Despite signals to stop, the driver attempted to evade the authorities by driving the vehicle into nearby fields and fleeing the scene. Upon inspecting the abandoned vehicle, officers discovered a gruesome scene:
- Eight cattle were found inside the vehicle, cruelly tied with ropes.
- Six cattle were alive at the time of recovery.
- Two cattle were found dead.
Following this discovery, a case was registered against the vehicle owner, Ramjit Singh, and an unidentified driver at the Syedraja police station.
Criminal Charges and Police Operation
Investigations revealed that the arrested Manish Singh is the son of the vehicle's registered owner, Ramjit Singh. During interrogation, Manish confessed that he had abandoned the vehicle and fled when he noticed the police checking operations.
The accused faces several serious charges, including:
- Sections of the Gau Vadh Nivaran Adhiniyam (Prevention of Cow Slaughter Act).
- Provisions of the Pashu Krurata Nivaran Adhiniyam (Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act).
- Relevant sections of the BNS (Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita).
The successful raid was executed by a joint team including Station House Officer Ashok Kumar Mishra, Sub-Inspector Balbir Singh, and Head Constable Dinesh Yadav, working in tandem with the SWAT and surveillance team led by Inspector Ram Janam Yadav and Sub-Inspector Ashish Mishra.