Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, April 27: Khandagiri police late Sunday night busted a cattle trafficking racket and seized six trucks illegally carrying at least 240 heads of cattle from Begunia in Khurda district.
The cattle were being transported in horrific conditions. Many cows were rescued with grievous injuries that they suffered after standing for long hours in overloaded trucks.
Khandagiri inspector-in-charge Sarath Kumar Sahu told Orissa POST that while they were able to intercept the trucks, the drivers managed to escape.
The cattle have been sent to a shelter at Choudwar in Cuttack district, he said.
The trucks were reportedly illegally transporting the cattle to West Bengal, from where the cattle would have been smuggled into Bangladesh to be used for beef. Some of the cows even died while being transported, sources said.
“The six trucks were reportedly being accompanied by escort vehicles. Police have also seized a car,” sources added.