A car chase at 3am took an unexpected turn after an assistant sub-inspector found a cow with its legs tied up inside the vehicle. The perpetrators, however, escaped, taking advantage of the darkness.

On Friday morning, assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Devrat Tripathi saw a car near the Maruti showroom in Jullu park heading towards the town mohalla during the wee hours. Smelling something fishy, Tripathi chased down the car, forcing the driver to stop on the Jama Masjid Road. Before the ASI could understand anything, the men inside the car jumped out and disappeared into the darkness. As Tripathi, with his sadar police team, searched the car, they found a cow tied up inside the vehicle.

Sadar police station officials expressed shock at the inhumane manner the cow was tied-up. They said it was for the first time in their life that they had seen a cow inside a car.

The police said two people were sitting on the back seats, while another one was driving.

The ASI said the fuel tank of the car concerned started leaking as the chase began. “After a chase of more than 2kms, the car stopped. Three men came out and disappeared, taking advantage of the darkness,” he added.

The police team said an inquiry has been initiated to ascertain the owner of the car. A hunt is underway to nab the three persons who escaped, they said.

The cow has been rescued and sent to Pinjrapol society’s gaushala (cow shelter) in Sitagarha. Sumer Sethi, the president of the gaushala, said the police have done a great job by saving the cow from being sent to an illegal slaughterhouse, adding that the gaushala serves as a home for hundreds of cows and bovines saved by the police in and around the district.