Six men have been arrested by Pandua police in West Bengal’s Hooghly district on allegations of cattle smuggling after 14 cattle were intercepted in a pickup truck in the Rameswarpur Shantidanga area on Saturday.
The arrested men have been identified as Saharab Gazi, Sirajul Gazi, Rabkul Gazi, Asarul Gazi and Rasian Gazi, all residents of the Swarupnagar police station area in North 24 Parganas district, and Giasuddin, a resident of Haral.
According to police, the men had allegedly purchased the cattle in Pandua and were transporting them towards Swarupnagar in a pickup truck.
Police Allege Men Could Not Produce Valid Documents
Police said they intercepted the vehicle after receiving information about suspected cattle smuggling and recovered 14 animals.
According to the police, the men were unable to produce valid documents authorising the transportation of the cattle and were subsequently arrested.
A case has been registered against them under charges related to cattle smuggling, and an investigation is underway.
The accused are scheduled to be produced before the Chinsurah court on Monday.
Families Claim Cattle Were Purchased Legally
The families of the arrested men have disputed the police allegations, claiming that the accused have been engaged in the cattle trade for a long time.
According to the families, the men regularly purchase cattle at local markets and sell them in other areas.
They alleged that the cattle intercepted by police had been purchased at a market and that the men possessed receipts confirming the transactions.
The families further claimed that the purchase receipts were shown to the police but were not accepted, and that the arrests were made despite the documents.
