RAJ KUMAR
Ranchi, Aug.30: As the city was preparing for the birthday celebration of cow protector Lord Krishna, police in the Jharkhand capital intercepted a vehicle in Pundag carrying nine bovine animals on way to slaughterhouses in Doranda, Azad Basti, and Hindpiri.
The vehicle was coming from Gumla. Ajam Khan, who was carrying the animals, was arrested and all the animals were seized.
The breakthrough came as police acted on a tip-off regarding the movement of bovine animals.
“We got the information late at night and became alert. Around 4 am the success came. The driver attempted to flee with the vehicle but we did not give him this opportunity. During brief interrogation he said that it was his regular job to carry the bovine animals to different places. He informed us that the bovine animals come to the city from Chhattisgarh,” a police official said.
An FIR was registered in this connection under sections of the Jharkhand Bovine Animal Prohibition of Slaughter Act 2005
Bovine animals have always been a soft target in the state but during the past few months, police in the state capital have come down heavily against those involved in the illegal business of bovine animals.
On May 24, police arrested three youths who stole two bovine animals.
The bovine animal belonged to Ranjit Yadav, a resident of Bhuiyan Toli, Samlong under Namkum police station area. Those arrested included Shahbaz Qureshi, Mohammed Jafir Qureshi and Sonu Qureshi. All are residents of Quereshi Mohalla under Lower Bazar police station area.
Arresting took place with the help of CCTV footage and the matter reached before the police and later started a thorough probe into the matter.
On March 14, police arrested one Dinesh Yadav who was on his way to West Bengal with as many as 17 bovine animals with eight calves on a truck from Chausa in the Buxar district of Bihar on his truck. The arrest took place on Chanho-Mandar Road under Chanho police station area when the driver was attempting to escape after hitting a pedestrian.
On March 13 police had intercepted a mini truck on the way to Chandwe to Kanta Toli carrying 11 bovine animals in a cruel manner. The interception took place when officer-in-charge (OC) Bankatesh Kumar got a tip regarding the movement of the truck and swung into action. A calf and an ox were lying dead due to suffocation. Cattle and trucks were seized and one Afroz was arrested in this connection.
Earlier on February 8, at Ramgarh, a 10-wheeler container was caught carrying 40 bovine animals. The door of the container was carrying messages like “Beti Bachao- Beti Padhao” and from outside it appeared to be some “Dak Parcel”.
The container had originated from Sitamarhi in Bihar and it was on its way to West Bengal. Police team had taken aback after it noticed the bovine animals were kept without caring for their safety of life and comfort in a cruel way.
Four accompanying the animals, Mohammed Gizali Khan, Naseem Ansari, Sahjad Ansari and Mohammed Siraj were arrested in this connection.
On December 26 last year,two dozen bovine animals kept for smuggling in a campus at Rargaon under Tamar police station were rescued.
Earlier on December 6 last year,104 bovine animals on their way to West Bengal from Chausa in Bihar in violation of provisions of Jharkhand Bovine Animal Prohibition of Slaughter Act, were caught from two places in the outskirts of the state capital.
Out of 104 bovine animals intercepted, one cow and 14 calves were found dead while the remaining others were alive.
Out of 104, 90 bovine animals were intercepted at Bundu toll plaza under the Bundu police station area. They were being carried in three trucks towards Jamshedpur. Out of 90, 57 were cows while 33 were their calves. Out of 57 cows, one was found dead. Out of 33 calves, 14 were found dead.
Three including Aslam Khan of Bikraganj, Aftab Alam of Kaimur and Pramod Yadav of Hariharpur were arrested in this connection.
The remaining 14 were intercepted at Pithoria. All were cows being carried in a mini truck. All were live. No one was arrested in this connection.
A police official said the fight is tough as smugglers with connivance of locals carry animals on trucks in a cruel manner.
