FIR against 8 UP officials after cattle deaths

Police have booked eight officials, days after 10 animals were found de and t disposed of properly at a cow shelter in UP's Lalitpur district, authorities said on Thursday. cattle h died under mysterious circumstances last week at temporary cow shelter in Saujana in Mahroni tehsil.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vra h raised concerns over "horrific" conditions of cows in Uttar Presh and asked Chief Minister Yogi ityanath to take a cue from her party-led government in Chhattisgarh on ir protection. In a two-p letter to chief minister, she cited pictures of de cows at Saujna and said y were "heart-wrenching and disturbing".

On Wednesday, a case was lodged against eight people based on complaint of Chief Veterinary Officer Krishan Shakya, said Mahroni Circle Officer (CO) Phool Chand Yav. District Panchayati Raj Officer Avdhesh Singh and Block Development Officer Sunil Kumar Singh are among those against whom case has been registered, CO said. Yav said arrest has so far been me in this connection and matter is being probed.

Ors named in FIR are forest officer Abdul Shamir Ansari, Animal husbandry officer Ranjit Kumar Kushwaha, revenue inspector Mahar Rajput, lekhpal Ghanshyam Sen, gram panchayat hikari Saurabh Yav and gram prhan Ajayvir Vikram, CO said. Mahroni Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Mohamm Kamar said DM Dinesh Kumar has ordered a magisterial inquiry into death of cattle and failure to properly dispose of ir carcasses.

Mawara SDM S P Singh has been asked to conduct probe, Kamar said. DM has alrey suspended an animal husbandry officer, a gram panchayat hikari and a lekhpal (revenue officer) in connection with incident. Attacking chief minister, Priyanka Gandhi on Monday said even though he came to power claiming to protect cows, his government has "completely failed", and asked who should be held responsible for ir deaths.

"Before coming to power, you h talked of 'Gau-Vansh raksha' (cow protection) and setting up of 'Gaushalas'. truth is that your government has completely failed in this regard despite anuncements by your government.

"Cows are being mal-treated in name of 'Gau-vansh'. Cow shelters have been opened but truth is that cows are t given water and fodder and re is complete insensitivity towards m. entire system is gripped in corruption," she said, wondering how many cows are dying across state.