Nilgiri(visakeo)In the early hours of Thursday morning as many as 86 cattle were freed from a truck by the Biswa Go Surakshya Bahini near Sergarh under Khantapara Police Station. Irate locals picketed the road in protest against Government inaction on the issue of illegal cattle smuggling, resulting in disruption of traffic on NH-5. The cattle were allegedly being trafficked to Kolkata.
As three of the freed cattle died on the spot with another dying in the transporting vehicle itself, the agitators blocked the National Highway, protesting cattle trafficking and police inaction in curbing the menace.
The road traffic was paralysed for nearly one-and-half hour. The picketing was called off following intervention of the Sub- Divisional Police Officer and the Sub-Collector.
Nilgiri MLA Pratap Sarangi, president of the Surakshya Bahini Suresh Panda and Bhupesh Nayak of Bajrang Dal (Bhubaneswar) rued that despite strict laws prohibiting cattle trafficking, the business in Odisha continued unabated. Hundreds of cattle were being trafficked to the neighbouring States and the speechless animals are being ferried in utterly pitiable condition, they said.
They further alleged that although they had handed over four persons from the intercepted vehicle to the police, the latter intentionally let three of them free.
"There are certain guidelines to be followed during ferrying of cattle for certain purposes like farming and rearing, which include adequate space, fodder and drinking water etc. Yet the traffickers continue to transport them to the slaughter houses in connivance of the police," alleged Sarangi.
The cattle removed from the truck were temporarily sheltered beside the NH. The police were making arrangements to send them to private Goshalas till some court order.
"We have registered a case and will forward the arrested person to the court. The cattle will be kept under some private arrangements till court order comes," said Sadar SDPO KC Parida.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment