Case against Maneka for 8216;stealing8217; cattle

The Uttar Pradesh police are busy hunting for the past two days - for three buffaloes.

The Uttar Pradesh police are busy hunting for the past two days 8212; for three buffaloes. These are among the 22 which were 8220;rescued8221; by animal rights activist Maneka Gandhi from alleged illegal slaughter and distributed to villagers. The Pilibhit MP now faces a criminal case in the matter.

The buffaloes had been distributed by Maneka to residents in 10-12 villages of Pilibhit after she intercepted two matadors carrying them on Friday evening. After the owner of the cattle lodged a police complaint in Bisalpur on Saturday accusing her of stealing his animals, many of these villagers themselves came forward to return them.

Maneka claims to have freed the animals, being taken for 8220;illegal slaughter8221;, in the presence of police officers. She says as many as 40, tightly packed, cattle heads were being transported on these matadors. Owner Shabbir Ahmed, a cattle trader from Saithal in Bareilly has, however, said in his complaint that there were 22 in all 18 male and four females.

Ahmed says he had bought the cattle from a village market in Lakhimpur Kheri for his own use and not for slaughter. He also claims that Rs 5,000 cash was looted from the matadors.

According to Maneka, she was returning from her parliamentary constituency in Pilibhit on Friday evening when she passed the two matadors on Bareilly road.

She says she called the local police, a huge crowd gathered and since 8220;there was no space to keep the cattle8221;, she distributed it to villagers from nearby areas. She adds that the empty matadors and drivers were handed over to the police.

Maneka swears she did not touch the cattle herself. 8220;I did not distribute them, everything was done in the presence of the SHO of Bisalpur, Parvez Mian.8221; She claims that two of the buffaloes were taken by a policeman.

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The MP sees the case as a political conspiracy and blames controversial local MLA and a minister in the Mayawati Government, Anees Ahmed aka Phool Babu. The police are trying to build a Hindu-Muslim conflict in the area, she alleges.

The police say the matter is under investigation, but the first task is to recover the cattle. 8220;Jab bhainsay bant rahin thi, gaonwaley sochay free may mil rahin hai, le jaao. Par jab mamla police case ban gaya, woh bhains vaapas karnay lage,8221; says SHO Parvez.