UP govt suspends Maharajganj DM, five other officials over 'negligence in cow protection'

The district magistrate of Maharajganj and five other officials were suspended on Monday for negligence in cow protection. The Chief Secretary stated that during the investigation, the accused officers could not give satisfactory answers to the committee.

Lucknow:The Uttar Pradesh government has suspended Maharajganj District Magistrate (DM) along with five other officials over anomalies in the figures of cattle and negligence in 'cow protection' in Madhvaliya cow shelter in the district.

During a press conference organised at Lok Bhawan on Monday, Chief Secretary RK Tiwari informed that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has suspended the DM and other officials.

Tiwari stated that several complaints were being received about the 'negligence in the upkeep of stray cows' in the Madhvaliya cow shelter in Nichlaul tehsil of Maharajganj district.

"The government constituted a committee under the chairmanship of Additional Commissioner, Administrative, Gorakhpur Division. The committee found several anomalies in the number of cattle during the probe. Official documents showed the number of cattle as 2,500, but during physical verification, only 954 cattle were found. Besides, it was also found that the officials had given 328 acres out of a total 500 acres of land of the cow shelter to farmers, firms and other individuals in an illegal manner," said Tiwari.

The Chief Secretary stated that during the investigation, the accused officers could not give satisfactory answers to the committee.

"It was found that in the name of fodder and maintenance of cattle, the number of cattle was deliberately increased on papers to misuse government funds. This is also a case of financial irregularity. Action has been taken against the officials," he added.

President of Madhvaliya cow shelter and District Magistrate of Maharajganj Amarnath Upadhyay, a nominated member of a cow shelter, SDM Nichlaul, Devendra Kumar, SDM Satyam Mishra, Chief Veterinary Officer Maharajganj, Dr Rajiv Upadhyay, and Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer Nichlaul, Dr VK Maurya are the officers who were suspended.