Kathua Police Thwart Dual Bovine Smuggling Attempts; 36 Cattle Rescued, 3 Smugglers Arrested, Truck Impounded
Key Operation Details
- Total Animals Rescued: 36 bovines (including 8 cows and 9 oxen at Lakhanpur, plus 19 livestock at Basohli).
- Suspects Apprehended: 3 individuals arrested on the spot across both locations.
- Seizure: 1 commercial truck impounded at Lakhanpur.
- Legal Action: Separate FIRs lodged under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
Jammu Mirror Bureau | Kathua: Intensifying its round-the-clock offensive against illicit livestock trafficking, the Kathua Police on Friday foiled two distinct bovine smuggling operations in the district, rescuing 36 animals, apprehending three suspects, and impounding a transport truck.
The coordinated operations were executed under the direct supervision of Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kathua, Mohita Sharma, dealing a substantial blow to inter-state and regional smuggling rings operating in the frontier district.
Interception at Lakhanpur Dispatch Point
Operation 1 In the first strike, a vigilant police squad stationed at the Lakhanpur dispatch naka flagged down a commercial truck for routine inspection. The vehicle was reportedly heading from Punjab towards Jammu.
During the search, officers discovered 17 bovines—comprising eight cows and nine oxen—crammed inside the vehicle in an extremely cruel and suffocating manner without basic provisions or legal permits.
The driver, identified as Mohd Saleem, a resident of Beli Charana, Jammu, was taken into custody immediately. Police seized the truck and registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act at the Lakhanpur Police Station.
Foot-Patrol Bust in Basohli
Operation 2 In a simultaneous crackdown in the Basohli sub-division, a specialized police party intercepted two men moving a large herd on foot along an unauthorized pathway leading towards Punjab.
The suspects, identified as Ali Hussain and Saif Ali, both residents of Sundroon in Bani tehsil, were found unlawfully ferrying 19 bovines across the border without mandatory administrative authorization or clearance.
The police team safely rescued all 19 cattle and arrested the duo on the spot. A formal case has been instituted against both suspects at the Basohli Police Station for unlawful trafficking and cruelty.
Zero-Tolerance Stance
District police authorities stated that all 36 rescued animals have been relocated to safe shelters for care and medical assessment. Reaffirming their zero-tolerance stance against bovine smuggling, senior officials noted that round-the-clock vigil and checkpoints across all entry and exit corridors in Kathua district will remain heavily reinforced.
