Cow smugglers of Mewat region of India are using innovative methods to hoodwink the police. This came to light after three cows were killed and one injured after a modified SUV, decorated as for a wedding, overturned near Kishangarh Bas at Mewat on Thursday, reprots Times of India.

According to police, connecting Alwar district to bordering Haryana, has forced cow smugglers to change their modus operandi.

The SUVs are modified to carry cows and decorated with garlands and other material to give the impression that the vehicle is part of a wedding procession.

‘We received information that a SUV had overturned near Kishangarh Bas toll plaza. Initial reports claimed that three people had died in the accident. But when our team reached the spot, we found three dead cows and another seriously injured in the SUV,’ said Kishangarh Bas police station SHO Chand Rathore.

Police said the SUV was fully decorated like for a wedding.

‘Some months ago, cows were taken legally and illegally in open jeeps and other vehicles. This is the first case in which an SUV has been used for smuggle cows. They have modified the vehicle by removing the backseats to accommodate cows,’ he said.

But the driver of the vehicle and other gang members escaped from the spot. ‘We have seized the SUV and taken the injured cow to a nearby gaushala (cow shelter),’ Rathore added.

Times of India said, recently, the Meo community had blamed the police of wrongfully seizing 51 cows from a dairy farmer in Kishangarh Bas area. The cows were later released.