Bhubaneswar: The Special Task Force (STF) busted a cattle smuggling racket with the arrest of two West Bengal-based miscreants. As many as 74 cattle were rescued during the raid carried out by a joint team of the STF and Keonjhar police at Juriaghati under Keonjhar police limits on Tuesday night.
The STF received a tip-off on movement of cattle from Odisha to West Bengal via Keonjhar following which the raid was planned, an STF official said. The cattle were being transported in a cruel manner and post rescue, they were shifted to a Gosala in Barbil.
The accused were identified as Sk Rasid of Dakhinchhak in Haldia of Purba Medinapur and Sk Rejabul of Uluberia in Howrah district. They were booked under Sections 307/429/120(B)/34 of the IPC, Sections 25/27 of the Arms Act, Section 11 of Prevention of Cruelty to Animal Act, 1960 and Section 192(A) of MV Act.
The registration plates of the two trucks indicate that the vehicles belong to Nagaland. Keonjhar Town police have registered a case in this connection and investigating further along with the STF.
