Godhra, Aug 20 (PTI): A police team was on Saturday attacked by a mob of over 100 persons in Godhra when it tried to rescue a large number of cows which were allegedly being taken for slaughter.

The police had to lob 18 rounds of teargas shells after the mob attacked them, Godhra Deputy SP VK Nai said.

"When the police team reached the ground where the cattle were kept, they were attacked by the mob with stones. To disperse the crowd, police team lobbed 18 teargas shells. Nobody was injured," he said.

The security forces had carried out an extensive combing operation upon receiving information that the cattle were brought here for slaughtering.

The police found that a large number of cattle were tied at a place on the ground. When they tried to untie the animals and take them into their custody, the officers were attacked, Nai said.

"We seized 49 cattle from the spot and took them to cow shelter," he said.

Further investigation is being carried out in this connection with an FIR registered at B division police station, the official said.

Slaughter of cow and its progeny is banned in Gujarat, which through its recently amended Gujarat Animal Preservation (Amendment) Act, 2017, has envisaged punishment of up to life term and Rs 5 lakh fine for cow slaughtering.