Nuh — Two alleged cattle smugglers were killed and a third man was injured in an exchange of fire with police in Haryana's Nuh district in the early hours of Sunday, police said, in an operation against alleged cattle smuggling in the Mewat region.

According to police, a Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) team from Ferozpur Jhirka was carrying out a pre-dawn anti-smuggling operation when a brief exchange of gunfire took place. Three men sustained bullet injuries and were taken to the government medical college at Nalhar, where two of them later died.

Police identified the deceased as Sabir and Gabbar, also known as Hadiya. The injured man, identified as Tahir, remains under treatment at Nalhar Medical College. The allegations against the three men have not been tested in court.

What police say was recovered

Police said a pickup vehicle carrying seven cows was recovered from the spot, along with three country-made pistols of .315 bore, three live cartridges and five spent cartridges. The bodies of the two deceased have been kept in a mortuary and their families have been informed, police said.

Magisterial inquiry ordered

A magisterial inquiry has been launched into the encounter, police said. The inquiry will examine the circumstances of the operation and whether the force used was lawful. Police described the action as an anti-smuggling operation; further investigation is under way.

Nuh and the wider Mewat region have seen repeated police operations against alleged cattle-smuggling networks in recent months, several of which have also involved exchanges of fire, according to earlier police reports.