Amidst mounting criticism for failing to deal with stray cattle menace, the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh (MCC) suffered a major setback on Friday when the vehicles loaded with stray cattle to be shifted to Barsana Gaushala in Uttar Pradesh were torched in Pataudi area in Gurgaon.
As many as 16 vehicles loaded with cattle were damaged and out of these 15 were torched by a mob in Pataudi area in Guragon.
After continuing its stray cattle catching drive for about a week, the MCC was shifting 195 cattle to Barsana Gaushala (UP). The decision to shift stray cattle to UP was taken keeping in view lack of space in Chandigarh Gaushalas.
According to DCP (south) Gurgaon Rahul Sharma, first, these vehicles were stopped by people in village Kullana of district Jhajjar thinking that these cattle were being taken for slaughtering. But they allowed the vehicles to pass through, when apprised by the MCC officials they were being shifted to UP.
Sharma said, “However, some antisocial elements spread the rumour in Pataudi area, which resulted to the unfortunate incident. Irked people unloaded the stray cattle and damaged the vehicles. Even as the SDM Patuadi Manoj Khatri and ACP Pataudi Usha Kundu tried to pacify and convince the mob that the cattle were being taken to Barshana Gaushala and not for slaughtering, the mob set 15 vehicles on fire and one was left damaged.
He further said that 20 persons accused of setting the vehicles on fire have been identified and FIRs are being registered against them by name in Pataudi and Farukhnagar police stations. Rest of the miscreants are also being identified and strict action will also be taken against them. The Police has accused one Pradeep Yadav and his companions for arousing the mob by instigating their emotions which was uncalled for.
According to the information, the vehicles carrying stray cattle from Chandigarh had all requisite papers and were accompanied by six employees of Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh. There were two ambulances also alongwith the vehicles. They carried drafts of Rs 3.90 lakh, Rs 2000 per cattle for 195 cattle which were given by the UT Administration to take care of cattle. The vehicles had pasted ‘on government duty’ on the front side.
A spokesperson of Haryana Government said that Deputy Commissioner Shekhar Vidyarthi and Commissioner of Police Alok Mittal also reached the spot and took stock of the situation. They had called a meeting of Municipal Councilors and Sarpanches of Pataudi area and appealed them to maintain peace in the area. According to them, presently the situation is under control in the area.
After the incident, senior officials of MCC including Additional Commissioner, Joint Commissioner among others visited Gurgaon to take stock of the situation and also met officials of Pataudi area to decide the future course of action.