Cops hurt in mob attack after removal of ‘khatal’

PATNA: Jakkanpur police station SHO Arjun Lal was among those injured in a clash with irate locals after a police team seized two cows following a Patna high court’s standing order to remove ‘khatals’.
The cows were taken away by the mob and SHO Lal received stone injuries on his right hand after the mob resorted to brickbatting. Five persons were arrested in this connection and a case of preventing government servants from discharging their duty besides acting against court order was lodged against them.
Earlier, a police team led by Lal raided Hanuman Path and Jayaprakash Nagar localities under his jurisdiction. The team hired workers to take the two cows and hand them over to the authorities of Patna Municipal Corporation.
While on their way back, the two workers were intercepted by around 150 people led allegedly by Ram Nath Yadav, a small-time politician who reportedly identified himself as a BJP MLA’s close associate, near Gauriya Math in Mithapur locality. The mob snatched away the leashes of the seized animals and took them away. In the meantime, the Jakkanpur SHO came to the spot accompanied by another patrolling party. Constables including Anil Kumar Sharma also received injuries.
Lal said the police team was working in accordance with the standing orders of the Patna high court that has fixed responsibility on the SHOs to prevent reappearance of removed ‘khatals’ under their respective jurisdictions. He said 11 ‘khatals’ were removed earlier from his police station area, but two reopened on Wednesday.