Tue Dec 17 17:33:41 UTC 2024: ## Police Bust Cattle Smuggling Ring, Rescue 33 Animals in Vellore
**Vellore, Tamil Nadu – December 18, 2024** – Pallikonda police have foiled an inter-state cattle smuggling operation, rescuing 33 animals from a lorry on the Chennai-Bengaluru highway. The animals, primarily cows and bulls, were crammed into an unhygienic container, and authorities allege that chili powder was thrown in their eyes to keep them from sleeping during the illegal transport from Kadapa district in Andhra Pradesh to slaughterhouses in Pollachi (Coimbatore) and Kerala.
The lorry driver, K. Pawan (27), and cleaner, V. Manjunath (19), both from Karnataka, were arrested. Police initiated the investigation after noticing inconsistencies in the driver’s statements during a routine patrol.
A complaint filed by animal activist R. Raghuram Sharma led to charges against the duo under Section 325 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. The rescued animals have been transferred to a private goshala in Tirupattur for care.
This marks the third such seizure in the region since June, highlighting a persistent problem of illegal cattle transportation along this stretch of highway. Previous rescues involved 35 cattle near Kancheepuram (June) and 45 near Vaniyambadi (August). The investigation is ongoing.
First Piper 