4 cow slaughtering accused held after encounter in Azamgarh

Varanasi: Four accused of cow slaughtering were arrested following an exchange of fire with Mehnajpur police in Azamgarh district early on Thursday.Three of the accused suffered bullet injuries in their legs during the encounter. All of them were involved in a case of cow slaughtering in Jhinjhpur Saraiya village on March 23.Azamgarh CO (Lalganj) Bhupesh Kumar Pandey on Thursday said that busy in night patrolling, Mehnajpur cops were alerted around 2.30am regarding movement of the criminals on Manikpur-Sidhauna road. Acting promptly, the cops cordoned off the area and tried to intercept those criminals, when they opened fire at the police team in a bid to escape. When the retaliated, three of them— Mohit alias Moheed alias Mufeed (22) of Jaunpur, Aman God (22) and Eklaq alias Patarka (24) of Azamgarh, suffered bullet injuries in their legs. They, along with their fourth accomplice, Mobin alias Kalam alias Gaga (40) were arrested. After recovering two country-made pistols and cartridges, police sent the injured criminals to the district hospital. Police said that Eklaq has a criminal history and he was also booked under Gangsters Act in the past. During interrogation, the accused divulged that they worked together for cow slaughtering and to avoid police surveillance, the accused frequently changed locations.