10 cows, 2 calves rescued in Nagrota, case registered

In a suspected case of cattle smuggling, a group of cow vigilantes, including activists from the Bajrang Dal and local youth, intercepted a vehicle transporting 10 cows and 2 calves near Malan Gate in Nagrota Bagwan, the police officials confirmed at the district headquarters here today.

The cow vigilantes alerted the local police after observing the animals being transported in an allegedly cruel and illegal manner.

The police rescued the animals and shifted them to the Maa Himani Adi Chamunda Gaushala in Palampur, where caretakers arranged for their food and shelter.

According to the complaint filed by Naveen Pathania, a cow vigilante, the livestock was being carried in a Canter bearing registration number HP-37C-0610 headed towards Palampur. On being stopped for questioning, the vehicle driver, Ranjeet Singh, a resident of a village near Palampur, and another unidentified man reportedly fled from the spot.

Further inquiry revealed that the truck was owned by a man named Kapil, while another individual, Jagdish Arora of Palampur, claimed he would furnish valid documents for the cattle. However, no transport permits or legal documentation were presented to the police by them.

Following a preliminary investigation, police registered a case at the Nagrota Bagwan Police Station under Section 3(5) of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 11 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 against Ranjeet Singh (driver), Savjeet Singh of Vahanpura Kalan village, Kapurthala district, Punjab (alleged purchaser), and other unidentified individuals involved in the illegal transportation of cattle.

The police sources said that the matter was under investigation and efforts were underway to trace the absconding suspects and verify the legal status of the cattle transportation in coordination with officials in Punjab police.