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Nagpur: Beware, beef dealers. No more hoodwinking of cops over the seized stuff. The dilemma over whether the seized meat during raids is beef or not is now a thing of the past. The police department has equipped itself with a potent tool that would pick out the beef with an on-the-spot test in their state-of-the-art mobile forensic vans.
Talking exclusively with Nagpur Today, the Director General of Police (DGP), Legal and Technical, Sharda Prasad Yadav, said that the beef test could be performed in all 45 mobile forensic vans across the State. “Police unit in every district has been provided with a mobile forensic van each. The office of Director General of Police, Legal and Technical, has almost completed the high-profile training of the first-batch of personnel for conducting such tests at Kalina Forensic Science Laboratory in Mumbai. The batch that went a three-layered training of indoor, outdoor and practical, is ready for the mission,” Yadav said.
“The enzyme-based test is already being conducted in Gujarat where officials from Maharashtra had gone for a trial. The State Home Department has already commenced various formalities, including procuring the enzymes required for the test,” the DGP revealed.
S P Yadav further said that he was in Gujarat to observe the process. “The test would be primary one for cow meat or beef. Earlier the sample had to be sent to government laboratories where it took several days for results to be ready. We will perform a specific enzyme-based test to be able to get the report on the spot using the equipment already provided in the vans. It would be prompt, reliable and confirming the nature of the meat,” Yadav stated.
It was noticed that whenever the cops raided a beef dealer, the sly trader would try to hoodwink the raiding cops that the stuff is not the beef but the meat of a buffalo. “The test would help curb controversies erupting out of denials and arguments over the origin of meat that often led to communal tensions,” said Yadav and added that the confirmatory tests can be done later at government laboratories.
Last month, Nagpur police had seized 10 tonnes of alleged beef apart from rescuing 347 cattle. Police faced a horrendous task before the magistrate for securing the custody of the accused as the defence was denying the seized meat was beef and tried to get the accused bailed out. The defence asked the court to await a confirmatory test from government laboratory. Police face an uphill task during raids everywhere as accused frequently dispute that the meat with them is beef.
S P Yadav, an IPS officer of 1986-batch, said the latest test would save police from litigations. “Beef needs to be disposed of after being seized. Now the cops can dispose of the meat without any misunderstanding and subsequent legal hassles,” he said.
The Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is likely to inaugurate the state-of-the-art mobile forensic van. The van would see the specially trained police constables, assistant chemical analysts and other personnel.
—By Ravikant Kamble
