GORAKHPUR, Sept. 22 -- Gorakhpur police arrested a notorious cattle smuggler carrying a reward of Rs.25,000 following an encounter in Belghat area in the early hours of Sunday, officials said. SP (city) Abhinav Tyagi confirmed the arrest. According to police, the accused, identified as Imran Ali, 30, a resident of Masjid Kahna Eidgah within Tanda police station limits in Rampur district, attempted to speed off on his motorcycle when asked to stop. He was shot in the leg and apprehended while his accomplice managed to escape. A motorcycle, a country-made pistol, a live cartridge and an empty cartridge were recovered from the spot. Officials said Imran has 22 criminal cases registered against him in Rampur and Gorakhpur, including one on November 3, 2024, when cattle were seized from a pickup truck during a police check in Belghat. ADG (Gorakhpur Zone) Ashok Mutha Jain has directed a sustained crackdown under Operation Clean Sweep, which was launched on September 17 following the killing of a 19-year-old NEET aspirant, Deepak Kumar, during a clash between villagers and cattle smugglers in Kushinagar. Meanwhile, Kushinagar SP Keshav Kumar said a joint operation of police and STF against cattle smuggling networks was underway and a high alert had been sounded at vulnerable points in Kushinagar and Deoria. htc...