14 held after cows of BJP MLA’s brother get stolen

BAREILLY: The entire police force of Meerganj in

Bareilly

, it seems, has swung into action looking for a pair of cows that were stolen on Sunday night from the cow shed of Ramesh Mishra, brother of BJP MLA from Bithri Chainpur, Rajesh Mishra alias Pappu Bhartual. An FIR was lodged on Monday evening. In less than 24 hours, as many as 14 people have been detained for questioning by police.

On learning about the incident, the SP (rural) Sansar Singh, Meerganj police station house officer Rajveer Singh, CO, Meerganj, Alok Kumar besides 10 police field units along with dog squad rushed on the spot. However, police have not been able to make a breakthrough in the case as they have neither been able to trace the missing cows nor the whereabouts of the culprits concerned.

BJP mandal in charge Santosh Sharma along with several BJP workers also reached the crime spot.

Giving details about the theft, Meerganj, circle officer (CO), Alok Kumar, said, “On Monday, we rushed to the spot after Ramesh Mishra’s security guard Devi Das informed us about the theft. The cattle thieves had broken the cow shelter’s boundary wall and taken away the cows through the gap. Ramesh Mishra runs a private school at Meerganj and cow shelter’s wall is adjacent to the school’s boundary wall.”

Alok Kumar added, “I immediately deployed five police teams to probe the case. We also scanning CCTV footages collected from the area but are yet to come up with a clue.”

The CO also opened crime records of the past five years, searching for a clue about the culprits. “After getting the report, we will take appropriate step in this matter. Still, we have detained 14 people but the main accused are on the run,” Kumar said. A police team is also conducting raids in adjoining Rampur district for nabbing the accused.

“Following the complaint was filed by victim’s security guard, an FIR has been registered against the unidentified accused under IPC sections 380 (theft in dwelling house, etc.—whoever commits theft in any building, tent or vessel, which building, tent or vessel is used as a human dwelling) and 457 (lurking house-trespass or house-breaking by night in order to commit offence punishable with imprisonment) of IPC. We are investigating the matter in this case,” Kumar added.