Police seize beef worth `6.35L from vehicle

The Panvel Taluka Police seized a pickup with around 2,500 kilos of beef worth Rs6.35 lakh on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway earlier this week. The driver and his accomplice, however, managed to flee.

The complainant, Kiran Kadam, a constable attached to the New Panvel traffic unit, received information from a journalist that red-coloured liquid was dripping from a vehicle that was parked near Bhatan Tunnel on the Mumbai lane along the highway on Wednesday morning.

Kadam and the journalist rushed to the site. However, by the time they reached, a white colour pick-up van was moving towards Mumbai. They followed the pick-up van and asked the driver to stop the vehicle. They stopped the vehicle and got down. When Kadam asked for a licence, the driver failed to show it. They gave vague answers when they were asked what they were carrying.

A strong smell was coming out from the vehicle and red liquid was dripping from the vehicle. The driver said that they were carrying sacks of husk. However, Kadam checked the vehicle and found meat inside. He then informed the police control room.

Meanwhile, both the driver and his accomplice, aged around 25-30 years, pushed the cop and managed to flee.

The police seized the vehicle along with the beef. According to the police, they were carrying around 2,500kg of beef worth Rs6.35 lakh and the cost of the vehicle was around Rs3 lakh.

A case was registered against the driver and his accomplice under Sections 429 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code and 5 C and 9 A of the Maharashtra Animal Preservation Act, 1976.