6,000 people arrested in Rajasthan for cow smuggling from 2009-16

Jaipur: Around 6,000 persons have been arrested in over 3,000 registered cases of cow smuggling in the desert state in the last seven years, the Rajasthan government has said.

According to the report sent by the state Home department to the Union government in the wake of the lynching of 55-year-old Pehlu Khan in Alwar district earlier this month, more than 6,400 persons were arrested in over 3,000 registered cases of cow smuggling from January 2009 to February 2016 in the state.

Out of the 3,000 registered cases, police presented challans in over 2,500 cases in the court. However, only 40 persons were convicted and 59 were acquitted in the cow smuggling cases disposed by the court till February 2016, it said.

Every year, nearly 500 cases of cow smuggling or murder are registered across the state, the report said.

The BJP-led state government, however, added that the number of cases of cow smuggling reduced after setting up of police check posts in Alwar and Bharatpur areas.

"Swift action against cow smuggling increased after 2012 as police registered 463 cases across the state. A total of 526, 582 and 481 cases of cow smuggling were registered in 2013, 2014 and 2015 respectively," the report said.

Over 2,700 vehicles used in the illegal transportation of bovines have been seized during the last seven years, it added.