Cattle smugglers open fire on Excise depart vehicle in Sundargarh; 1 arrested, gun seized

Tension prevailed near Masabira under Lephripada police limits in Sundargarh district when suspected cattle smugglers opened fire at an Excise Department vehicle. The dramatic incident unfolded when officials from the Excise Department were trailing a suspicious pick-up van, initially believed to be involved in illegal liquor transportation from the Hemgiri area—a region under regular surveillance for illicit trade.

Narrow Escape For Officials

As the Excise team closed in on the vehicle, the smugglers, apparently mistaking the authorities’ intentions or attempting to escape with contraband, opened fire. Around three rounds were fired in rapid succession, with bullets hitting the Excise department vehicle. Fortunately, no officials were harmed during the attack, although the departmental vehicle suffered visible damage.

Later, the Excise personnel, with support from the local police, managed to intercept the van. Surprisingly, no liquor was found inside. Instead, the vehicle was being used to smuggle five cows, allegedly being transported illegally across the state border. The entire episode pointed to a well-coordinated cattle smuggling operation masquerading under the suspicion of the liquor trade.

During the chaos, two of the accused managed to flee the scene, taking advantage of the confusion. However, one suspect was apprehended on the spot. Upon a search of his belongings, police recovered a country-made firearm, which was immediately seized as evidence.

The rescued cattle have since been shifted to a safe shelter, and the seized pick-up van has been impounded by the authorities. 
Police have launched a manhunt to trace the two absconding accused. Initial investigation suggests that the smugglers had adopted a new modus operandi to avoid detection by law enforcement, using remote routes and firing to deter interception.

Senior officials from both the Excise Department and the local police are treating the matter seriously, given the increasing trend of smugglers turning violent.

The incident has raised alarm bells over the growing boldness and aggression of smuggling networks in Odisha’s border regions. An FIR has been registered, and a detailed investigation is underway to trace the full network behind the incident.

Authorities have assured that stringent action will be taken against the culprits, and additional patrolling and surveillance have been initiated in the area to prevent such incidents in the future.

(By Debabrata)