Gurugram, Nov 7 (PTI) An alleged cow smuggler was arrested and 26 cattle were rescued from a truck on the KMP expressway on Tuesday, police said.

According to the complaint filed by Ashok Kumar, a resident of Pukharpur village and member of the cow vigilantes team, at around 3 am on Tuesday, he got information that a truck would go to Mewat via KMP expressway from Badli carrying cows, which were being taken to slaughter.

On the information, Sub-inspector Krishan Kumar of the cow protection force along with Ashok and others reached the expressway and put up the barricades, police said.

Shortly after a truck was seen coming and it was signalled to stop but the driver fled away, they said.

“The police's cow task force and members of the cow vigilante team started chasing the vehicle and a white Creta was seen moving ahead of the truck,” the SI said.

The case continued for about 7 km on the expressway and then the accused started running away leaving the container on the roadside. One of the accused, Nafis, was caught while the others fled, he said.

A total of 28 cattle including 8 cows and 18 bulls, were found in the truck and out of which one cow and bull each were found dead, he said.

The cattle were rescued and sent to Manesar Gaushala, he said, adding that an FIR under sections 279 (rash driving), 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others), 13(1), 13(2) of the Haryana Gauvansh Sanrakshan and Gausamvardhan Act, 2015 was registered at Bilaspur police station on Tuesday.

Police also denied reports of an encounter and firing between cow smugglers and the police. PTI COR NB