Mohammad Tahir, food supplier and the main accused for poisoning hundreds of cows, was arrested from from Adampur area. A reward of Rs 50,000 was announced by the police on him
Amroha cow deaths: Mohammad Tahir, food supplier and the main accused for poisoning cows, has been arrested by Uttar Pradesh Police. Twitter/@Shubham_fd
New Delhi: A Muslim man has been arrested by the Uttar Pradesh Police for feeding green millet fodder laced with nitrate to hundreds of cows. Mohammad Tahir, food supplier and the main accused for poisoning the animal, has been arrested days after 61 bovines died and several others were allegedly taken ill after allegedly consuming poisonous fodder in a gaushala (cow shelter) at Santhalpur village in Amroha district of Uttar Pradesh.
Mohammad Tahir was arrested from Adampur area on Monday evening. A reward of Rs 50,000 was announced by the police on him.
So far, 12 accused, including Tahir, village development officer Mohammad Anas, who was also in-charge of the cow shelter, village head Ram Avtar Singh, brother of former MLA Harpal Singh have been arrested by police.
A ToI report mentioned officials saying that five police teams were constituted to arrest the accused in the case.
Based on a complaint by block development officer (BDO) Renu Kumar, a case against the accused has been registered under sections 34, 120b, 153 b, 295a, 429 of the IPC, and section 3/8 of the Cow Slaughter Act and under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
After the incident of cows death came to fore, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ordered a probe into the matter and directed the animal husbandry minister, Dharampal Singh, to visit the cow shelter to take stock of the situation.
Uttar Pradesh Cabinet minister Gulabo Devi had said that the National Security Act (NSA) would be invoked against those found guilty.
The report mentioned a veterinary officer, who did not wish to be named, saying that a probe revealed that the cows were given fodder containing alarming levels of two chemicals — nitrate and nitrite.
As per the initial probe, police said that it was revealed that Tahir, a local resident, supplied nearly 3,000 kg fodder on Thursday last week.
“Tahir supplied the fodder for the first time on Thursday as the earlier arrangement was cancelled by the VDO in consultation with the gram pradhan Ramautar Singh. Why the supply was given to a new person after cancelling the earlier arrangement needs a thorough investigation,” a report by The Indian Express quoted a police officer as saying.
Uttar Pradesh issues guidelines after deaths and poisoning of cows
The Department of Animal Husbandry, Uttar Pradesh, has ordered officials to minimise or avoid use of green fodder to stray cattle in gaushalas.
All the concerned officials have been asked to take measures for better and safe fodder management in the cow protection centres in view of the tendency of green fodder becoming poisonous during drought-like situation.
The department further said that stray cattle or livestock in general should not be fed completely on green fodder these days, asking officials to ensure that 80 per cent of the cattle diet was dry fodder (wheat straw) and only 20 per cent green fodder was mixed with it.
Also, direction has been given not to serve green or dry fodder to cattle if a strange kind of smell emits from them.
With inputs from agencies
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