Police in Seraikela-Kharswan district arrested four alleged cattle smugglers and rescued 46 bovine animals in an operation conducted late Thursday night. The accused were reportedly attempting to transport the animals to West Bengal through the Bhurkunda forest.
Acting on a tip-off, Superintendent of Police Mukesh Kumar Lunayat formed a team led by Seraikela Sub-divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Samir Sewaiyan to intercept the smugglers. “We received information about cattle being smuggled through the forest, and an armed police team was deployed to investigate the matter,” Lunayat said.
The operation was carried out at the Kundusal roundabout near Bandi village, where officers spotted a group of people moving cattle from Kuchai in Seraikela-Kharswan district towards the West Bengal border. But not all of them were caught, with some making a narrow escape during the night.
A total of 46 cattle were confiscated during the police operation. The police filed a complaint with the Kuchai police station under the Jharkhand Bovine Animal Prohibition of Slaughter Act, and they have started an investigation process to nab the suspects who escaped from the site.
Those arrested turned out to be Tony Bodra aged 23, Raotu Samad aged 41, Motu Purty aged 20, and Somai Bodra aged 35, all residents of Toklo police station under the West Singhbhum district, adjacent to Ranchi.
According to officials, the illegal transport of bovine animals through forest routes remains a recurring problem, which has prompted improved vigilance by local police. The rescued animals will be handed over to the concerned authorities for care and rehabilitation.
Not only this, it has shown how much difficulty the authorities have had to face in dealing with cattle smuggling in Jharkhand, with laws being stringently against the illicit trade and slaughter of bovines. People are being appealed to by police officials to share information on such matters for fighting better against it. Attempts are being made to trace out and arrest the remaining suspects involved in the smuggling attempt.
