An attack occurred on a Special Operations Group (SOG) team during a coordinated operation around 10 PM on Tuesday night in Banjara Tola, Ward No. 12, under the Pipiganj police station area of Gorakhpur. The team had arrived to arrest a wanted cattle smuggler.
Information had been received that the youth was linked to a large network of cattle smuggling. The SOG team initiated the operation in plain clothes to apprehend him.
As soon as the team attempted to clear the house, resistance began. Some villagers threw stones, and a crowd gathered.
During the skirmish, a woman bit the officer's hand, diverting the police's attention, and the accused managed to flee from the spot.
Immediately after the incident, local police detained approximately 40 people and began questioning them.
Following the investigation, four individuals — Nausad, Mustafa, Benazir, and Rehana Khatoon (residents of Banjara Tola, Jangal Bihuli) — were arrested and presented in court. They were sent to jail.
The police stated that the investigation into the entire cattle smuggling network is ongoing, and the search for the absconding accused is underway.
Following the incident, a silence has fallen over the area. Most villagers are confined to their homes, and a heavy police force has been deployed.
The police administration has tightened security in the area, and intensified operations are expected in the coming days.
This incident indicates that actions against cattle smuggling are now also encountering local resistance and pose a significant challenge to law and order.
