Bettiah: Three women were sent to judicial custody on Wednesday for allegedly attacking police personnel and obstructing a raid, enabling a cattle-smuggling suspect to escape from his house at Bhedihari village under the Purushottampur police station area in West Champaran. Police later recovered a country-made pistol, seized 10 cattle allegedly meant for smuggling and impounded a pickup van during a search of the accused’s premises.The arrested women were identified as Maidun Nesha, Azma Khatun and Gulab Sha Khatun, all residents of Bhedihari village.Purushottampur SHO Kamlesh Bhagat said a police team had gone to the village on Tuesday evening to arrest an accused wanted in a criminal case registered at Bettiah Town police station when some villagers allegedly resisted the operation.“They pushed police personnel and obstructed government work. Taking advantage of the commotion, the main accused, 32-year-old Jahangir Sheikh of Bhedihari, managed to escape. As the situation worsened, police from several stations reached the spot and detained around a dozen people, including eight women, to bring it under control,” Bhagat said.He added that Jahangir is wanted in multiple criminal cases registered at different police stations.” “Acting on information that wanted criminal Jahangir Sheikh was near the Kartaha river, a police team launched a raid. After spotting the police, Sheikh fled and entered his house, where villagers allegedly resisted the police action, enabling him to escape,” the SHO said.Following the incident, Inspector Rajeev Kumar led a Quick Response Team (QRT), while personnel from Inarwa, Mainatand, Balthar, Bhangaha, Kangli and other police stations rushed to the village. Additional forces eventually brought the situation under control and detained around a dozen people, including eight women.Police said video footage of the incident was examined, following which three women were identified as actively obstructing the police team and were sent to jail. However, after verification another women were released.During the search, police recovered a country-made pistol from the accused’s house. Ten cattle allegedly kept for smuggling were seized and brought to the police station. Police also seized a pickup van and another four-wheeler. Verification of the vehicle documents is underway.An FIR has already been lodged against the escaped accused under relevant sections for assaulting police personnel, obstructing public servants from discharging their duties and aiding the escape of a wanted criminal, police said.