Beef rumours trigger Palwal clash; 41 held

Bijendra Ahlawat

Tribune News Service

Palwal, January 19

Rumours of beef being smuggled in trucks triggered a violent clash between local residents and the police in Kithwari bridge area here today. The police had to fire into the air and use tear gas and lathis against the mob that threw stones, alleging that the police were involved in ‘beef smuggling’.  

Traffic on the Palwal-Aligarh stretch was affected for three hours. Fortyone persons have been arrested. This is the second such incident in the district in the past two months. 

A truck going towards UP was intercepted near the Kithwari bridge by unidentified persons who alleged  it was carrying cow meat. A mob soon gathered there and beat up the driver and his helper. Police officials who came to the rescue of the two were stoned, said Ashok Kumar Sharma, DC.

Additional force was summoned as the police tried to disperse the mob. A DSP, two inspectors, two sub-inspectors and three head constables were injured. Additional DC Rajesh Jogpal and Rajesh Kumar, SP, were among those who rushed to the trouble spot.  

The truck was impounded and samples of the material transported sent for testing at a laboratory, the DC said.   

Sources said some persons claiming to be activists of ‘Gau Raksha Dal’ had been stopping vehicles crossing the Kithwari bridge to check if these carried beef. In a similar incident on December 3 at the same spot, a mob had clashed with the police. At least 24 persons, including policemen, were then injured. 

The DC said that now on, a police team would remain stationed at the site so that such incidents did not recur.