One arrested for assaulting three cattle traders
ALTHOUGH PEOPLE FOR ANIMALS DENIED ANY ROLE IN THE INCIDENT, THE ARRESTED MAN, SHASHANK SHARMA, CLAIMED THAT HE IS A MEMBER OF PFA
Two days after three men were allegedly thrashed by a group of animal right activists in south Delhi’s Kalkaji for transporting buffalos in a cruel manner, one of the attackers was arrested in connection with the case, police said on Monday.
Romil Baaniya, deputy commissioner of police (southeast), said that they arrested Shashank Sharma, 32, a resident of Rohini, following investigations into the case filed against unknown persons who had attacked the three men — Rizwan, Ashu and Kamil, on Saturday night. “Sharma was arrested and later released on bail, as the sections of IPC under which the case was registered were bailable,” he said.
During interrogation, Sharma claimed that he was a member of the People For Animals (PFA), an NGO founded and chaired by Union minister Maneka Gandhi, Baaniya said.
The PFA has already denied any association with the incident. “We have no PFA unit in Delhi. We have 10,000 volunteers across the country. Whoever acted did so in his individual capacity,” Gandhi’s office said on Sunday.
“Sharma claims that he worked for the PFA is a subject of verification. We will approach the PFA and enquire about him,” Baaniya said.
The DCP said that they have identified some more animal right activists who were present at the spot. Some of them are Sharma’s mother Vandana, and his associates, Gaurav Gupta, Saurabh Gupta and Mohit. Investigators said they have asked the identified persons to join the probe. They will be questioned to establish their role in the entire incident. Vandana Sharma is a nurse at a private hospital in central Delhi, police said.
Police said Sharma refuted the allegations that he assaulted the three cattle traders, though he admitted that he and his associates had intercepted and blocked the truck carrying buffalos in a cruel manner. “Sharma and other suspects will be confronted with the three men. The three will be asked to identify those who had assaulted them,” said an investigator adding more arrests will follow in the case.
Rizwan, Ashu and Kamil were arrested and later bailed out in a separate case in which they were charged with inhumane transportation of the cattle. The FIR was registered against them on the complaint of Gaurav Gupta, who too claimed to be an office bearer of the PFA.
During the interrogation, the officer said, Sharma claimed that he had seen the truck near Delhi airport while returning home with his mother in their car. They started following the truck and also informed other activists that some cattle were being transported in a cruel manner. “Others joined the Sharmas and they eventually intercepted the truck near the Kalkaji temple,” said the officer.