Eight cattle smugglers held

Jajpur:Eight smugglers were arrested with 200 cattle while they were taking the animals to Kolkata from the National Highway-5 near Panikoili in this district, police said today.

Police also seized four trucks in which the illegal cattle transportation was being done on Monday said Jajpur SP Anup Kumar Sahu.

The cattle were being taken to Kolkata in neighbouring West Bengal from Kendrapara areas, the SP said adding the cattle smugglers, all hailing from Bhadrak district, were being interrogated.

Police said the cattle were illegally transported violating the Transport of Animals Rules, 1978, the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 and other provisions of IPC.

The arrested were forwarded to the court and later remanded to judicial custody after their bail applications were rejected.