UP: 2 held in cow slaughter case injured in police encounter after escape bid

Two alleged cow slaughterers were injured in an encounter with police in Uttar Pradesh's Greater Noida after they tried to escape when they were taken to a spot where they claimed to have hidden weapons used for slaughtering cattle, officials said.

The accused, Waseem and Zeeshan, attacked the policemen who were accompanying them, they said.

The two were arrested from the Surajpur police station area in connection with a case lodged under the UP Prevention of Cow Slaughter Act, a police spokesperson said.

"The police party had taken Waseem and Zeeshan to a spot near Bhooda village where they said they had hidden the weapons used by them to kill cows. After the weapons, including two knives, were recovered, the accused used them to attack the police party and tried to flee," the spokesperson said.

A policeman was injured in the attack. Both the accused were injured in retaliatory firing by the police. They were then taken into custody again, the official said.

Waseem and Zeeshan have been admitted to the hospital for treatment, the police said.

The accused are natives of adjoining Ghaziabad district and together have over a dozen FIRs registered against them including those for attempted murder and cow slaughter, they said.