Dhamnagar: Illegal trafficking of cattle is going on unabated in Bhadrak district despite crackdowns by locals and the police. Tension flared up at Asurali bazaar in Dhamnagar block late Saturday night when locals detained eight pick-up vans laden with cattle.
The angry mob set one of the vehicles on fire and severely damaged the other seven vans.
According to sources, about 120 heads of cattle were being transported illegally from Kandharabatia village near Dhusuri to West Bengal in eight vans. Two cows had died while 30 were in critical condition.
The locals intercepted the vehicles at Asurali around 2 am when two cattle were found dead. When the vehicle leading the convoy allegedly tried to speed up, angry people intercepted it and rescued all the cattle before setting the van ablaze in the presence of a few police personnel.
As the crowd had outnumbered the police, the latter were helpless in saving the vehicles. Later, fire fighters from Dhamnagar doused the fire on the vehicle.
The locals also staged a road blockade demanding the arrest of the drivers at Asurali market. They alleged that trafficking of cattle from Pandarbatia area to West Bengal has become a routine with tacit support of the local police. They also claimed that such illegal activities have been going on for years and suspected that the cattle traffickers have direct links with notorious gangster Tito who was arrested a few months ago.
SDPO Manoranjan Samal, Dhamnagar IIC Bandana Patra and Dhusuri IIC Ram Murmu rushed to the spot and held talks with the agitating people. Two platoons of police were deployed in the area.
The police assured the locals that cattle trafficking will be curbed.
However, the locals warned that they will intensify the agitation in entire Dhamnagar if the police fail to ferret out the truth about the illegal cattle trafficking.
PNN
