Kathua Police Thwart Three Bovine Smuggling Attempts; 49 Cattle Rescued, 3 Punjab-Origin Trucks Seized
Operation Snapshot
- Total Rescues: 49 bovines saved from cruel and cramped transport conditions.
- Impounded Vehicles: 3 heavy trucks originating from Punjab seized on spot.
- Target Locations: Dispatch point Lakhanpur, Hatli Morh, and Sawan Chak.
- Legal Action: FIRs registered under Section 223 BNS and Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
Jammu Mirror Bureau | Kathua: In a major synchronized enforcement drive against illicit animal trafficking, the Kathua Police successfully thwarted three separate bovine smuggling attempts over the past 48 hours, rescuing 49 cattle and impounding three transport trucks entering the Union Territory from Punjab.
According to official reports, all three consignments were ferried in a hazardous and inhumane manner. While the police managed to recover the livestock and impound the vehicles, the drivers involved took advantage of dark stretches and terrain to abandon their vehicles and evade arrest.
Interception at Lakhanpur Gateway
Incident 1 The latest interception occurred on Thursday during an intensive checking drive at the Lakhanpur dispatch naka point. A police squad flagged down a suspicious truck arriving from Punjab. Upon inspecting the vehicle, personnel discovered 17 cattle tethered inside under severe and cruel conditions.
The driver abandoned the vehicle at the checkpoint and fled. Following the recovery, the truck was impounded, and a formal case was lodged at the Lakhanpur Police Station under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) along with Section 11 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
Dual Interceptions in Hatli Morh and Sawan Chak
Incident 2 A day prior, on Wednesday, Kathua police teams posted at Hatli Morh flagged an approaching truck. Spotting the police barricade from a distance, the operator halted the vehicle several meters ahead of the checking point and decamped into nearby lanes. A search of the cargo bay led to the rescue of another 17 cattle, followed by the immediate seizure of the truck.
Incident 3 In an almost identical maneuver in the Sawan Chak sector, another truck driver spotted the police naka, abruptly stopped short of the barricades, and escaped on foot. Officers recovered 15 cattle from the container and seized the vehicle.
Cases Registered & Manhunt Underway
The Kathua Police Station has registered separate First Information Reports (FIRs) regarding the Hatli Morh and Sawan Chak seizures under relevant provisions of law.
Senior police officials confirmed that all 49 rescued cattle have been shifted to safe shelters, while technical and field investigations are actively underway to trace the vehicle owners and apprehend the absconding smugglers.
