In the past 48 hours, two cases of cattle smuggling have emerged in Odisha. In one incident in Cuttack district, cattle smugglers attempted to flee by throwing bombs at the police. The police responded by firing shots into the air, resulting in the detention of two smugglers, while others escaped. A total of 35 cows were rescued. In a similar case in the Jatni area of Khordha district, police seized over 20 quintals of beef and arrested Imran Saifi from Ghaziabad, following information provided by local residents.
Cattle Smugglers Attack Police with Country-Made Bombs in Cuttack
The incident occurred on the Banki T-Bridge in Cuttack district, where Baideswar Police intercepted the cattle smugglers. As the police attempted to stop them, the smugglers hurled bombs to evade capture. In response, the officers fired warning shots into the air. During the operation, two suspects were detained and 35 cows were rescued.
A senior official from the Baideswar Police Station noted that the department has been vigilant in combating cattle smuggling in the area. Recently, two pick-up vans carrying cattle were seized, which had temporarily diminished smuggling activities. However, smugglers have resumed operations with increased security, using escort vehicles with 4-5 people in a car ahead and others on motorcycles behind. Suspecting this convoy, Baideswar police attempted to stop them near Banki T-Bridge, leading to the bomb attack and subsequent police response.
It is reported that these cows were being transported from Begunia in Khordha district to Tigiria in Cuttack.
20 Quintals of Beef Seized in Khordha District; Imran Saifi Arrested
In another incident on Thursday, Jatni police seized a vehicle loaded with over 20 quintals of beef. The driver, identified as Imran Saifi (35) from Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, was arrested. According to police, the vehicle was en route from Jatni to Uttar Pradesh.
Local residents in the Benapanjari area noticed the vehicle early in the morning and became suspicious upon seeing its Uttar Pradesh registration number. They informed the Jatni branch of the Gorakshak Seva Sangh, whose members pursued and intercepted the vehicle near Hanuman Batika. Upon investigation, the presence of beef in the vehicle was confirmed.
Police arrived at the scene, seized the vehicle, and took the driver into custody. Following the filing of a case, Saifi was presented in court. Activists from the Gorakshak Seva Sangh have called for a thorough investigation to uncover the network behind this large-scale beef smuggling operation from Jatni.
The news of significant beef smuggling has sparked outrage among locals, who allege that such operations cannot occur without police knowledge. The Gorakshak Seva Sangh claims that a major network is involved in this illegal trade.
Earlier Incident in Mayurbhanj District
On Monday night, another incident occurred near Podadiha Square under the Kaptipada police limits in Mayurbhanj district. A pick-up van carrying cows overturned and caught fire, resulting in one cow being burnt alive and four others suffering critical injuries. Fortunately, locals rushed to the scene and rescued the remaining cows from the burning vehicle. This pick-up van was allegedly involved in cattle smuggling.
