New Delhi, Dec 28 (IANS): Delhi Police have arrested three persons after busting a cow slaughtering gang based out of Sambhal in Uttar Pradesh, which was active in Delhi and its peripherals, an official said on Thursday.

The accused have been identified as Wajhat a.k.a Ajju (32), Jahane Alam alias Jahna (30), and ?Sajid a.k.a Sadva (28), all residents of Amroha district in Uttar Pradesh.

The official said that the main accused, Sajid, a notorious criminal, was earlier caught by UP Police following an encounter and he was released from jail in July 2023.

According to the police, on December 24, a PCR call was received at Karawal Nagar police station informing about the severed head of a cow and other body parts found near Janki Panchal Vihar.

On analysing CCTV footage, a Honda City car was found involved in the case.

“The route of the car was traced and it was found that three persons disembarked from it near the Seemapuri Depot. A police team zeroed down on the three suspects and apprehended them from their rented accommodation in the Old Mustafabad area," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (North-East), Joy Tirkey.

On interrogation, they confessed to their crime and disclosed that they procured ‘Xylaxin’ injections used to make cows unconscious from a chemist in Jafrabad and used to lift stray cows from various areas in Delhi-NCR.

“They purchased the Honda City car out of the money they made from selling cow meat to the customers. Around 17 syringes and 34 needles were also recovered from their possession,” the DCP said.

All three accused accused were previously found involved in more than 15 cow slaughtering cases registered in Nagli (UP), Shalimar Bagh, Gokulpuri and other areas.

“Efforts are being made to trace their involvement in other cases as well,” the DCP added.