Two cattle smugglers arrested after encounter in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut

Police have arrested two cattle smugglers following an encounter in the district's Kharkhauda area, officials said on Sunday.

Their three companions, however, managed to escape and efforts are underway to arrest them, they said.

Senior Superintendent of Police Rohit Singh Sajwan said, "Acting on a tip-off, a team from the Kharkhauda police station raided a village during the early hours. The police team cornered some cattle smugglers who opened fire on them in a bid to escape."

One of the smugglers was shot in the leg in retaliatory firing by the police.

"One Shadab, a resident of Ghosipura in the Kharkhauda area, was shot in the leg. Another smuggler, identified as Aftab, was arrested along with him,"said Sajwan.

The police have lodged an FIR regarding the incident and initiated an investigation. A team has been formed to identify and arrest the absconding smugglers.