In a stunning scandal that has rocked Uttar Pradesh’s Moradabad district, ten policemen, including the Pakbada Station House Officer (SHO) Manoj Kumar, have been suspended for allegedly attempting to cover up a beef smuggling operation by burying the seized meat and hiding the involved vehicle. The incident, which unfolded late Monday night in the Umri Sabjipur forest area, has sparked outrage and prompted a swift investigation by Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Satpal Antil, who ordered the suspensions after a departmental probe confirmed the officers’ misconduct.
The episode began when a UP-112 police team intercepted a suspicious Honda City car under Pakbada police station limits. Upon inspection, the team discovered large quantities of beef in the vehicle, believed to be smuggled from Gajraula to Kundarki. Instead of reporting the find to senior officers, the policemen allegedly dug a pit to bury the meat and relocated the car to conceal the evidence. A police source revealed that some officers even attempted to negotiate a deal with the smugglers, further compounding the breach of duty.
The cover-up unraveled when SSP Antil received information about the incident and launched an immediate inquiry. A Special Operations Group (SOG) team, accompanied by veterinary experts, exhumed the buried meat and confirmed it was beef, leading to the swift suspension of the involved personnel. The suspended officers include SHO Manoj Kumar, Chowki In-Charge (Growth Centre) Anil Kumar, Sub-Inspectors Mahavir Singh and Taslim, Head Constables Bansat Kumar and Dhirendra Kasana, Constables Mohit, Manish, Rahul, and Constable Driver Sonu Saini.
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The seized vehicle, registered to Mohammad Shami of Mohalla Sadat in Kundarki, is now in police custody, and a manhunt is underway to apprehend the smugglers. SP City Kunwar Ranvijay Singh stated on Wednesday that efforts are intensifying to arrest the accused at the earliest, with investigations ongoing to uncover any broader smuggling network. The incident has raised serious questions about police integrity in Moradabad, a region sensitive to issues surrounding cow slaughter due to cultural and legal prohibitions.
SSP Antil’s decisive action sends a strong message about zero tolerance for misconduct within the force. The suspensions highlight the Uttar Pradesh Police’s commitment to upholding law and order, particularly in cases involving illegal activities like beef smuggling, which carry significant legal and social implications in the state. As the investigation deepens, authorities are determined to bring all culprits to justice and restore public trust in the police force.
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