Police rescue 70 cattle after gunfight with cow smugglers in Rajasthan’s Bharatpur

Jaipur: Police on Monday rescued more than 70 cattle from suspected cow smugglers after a brief gunfire exchange in Rajasthan’s Bharatpur district, officials said.

Acting on a tip-off, a police quick response team attempted to intercept a truck carrying the cattle to slaughterhouses in the early hours of Monday but the smugglers opened fire at them, they said.

The police fired in self-defence, the officials added.

While the suspected smugglers escaped in the dark, about 20 cattle were rescued from the truck. Fifty more cattle were rescued from another spot.

“The animals are being shifted to different cow shelters and the matter is being investigated,” the police said.