Munish Sood
MANDI:
A suspected cow smuggling racket was busted near Solang Valley at Manali in Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh as a truck was caught carrying nine cows, two of which were found dead. The smugglers had allegedly tried to pass off the cows, being transported under a tarpaulin, as military equipment. The truck was stopped by the authorities following a tip-off as a foul stench was emanating from the vehicle.
The truck, bearing registration number JK02BS-6977, was intercepted when it was caught in a traffic jam caused by flashfloods near the Snow Gallery in Solang Valley.
Devotees attending a Shrimad Bhagwat Katha at the nearby Nag Temple noticed the stench emanating from the vehicle and confronted the driver. When asked about the content, the driver claimed it was “Indian Army equipment”.
Suspicions escalated, prompting an inspection that revealed nine cows crammed into the back of the truck, two of which were already dead due to inhumane conditions. The crowd immediately alerted the police.
Three Jammu & Kashmir residents arrested
Upon arriving at the scene, the Manali police detained three Jammu and Kashmir residents travelling in the truck — Mohammad Masaan (35) of Kans Patta in Reasi, Mohammad Rafi (28) of Talwara in Reasi and Mohammad Riyaz (23) of Bamlian in Rajouri.
All three have been booked under relevant sections of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and the vehicle has been seized by the authorities.
Manali DSP KD Sharma confirmed that the accused panicked when confronted about the foul odour. “The suspects initially misled locals by claiming the cargo belonged to the Army but during inspection, we discovered nine cows stuffed into the truck, which confirmed this as a clear case of illegal cow transportation,” he stated.
The presence of ear tags on the animals has raised further questions about how the cattle were sourced and the failure to trace their registered owners, indicating a potentially organised racket.
Former Minister Slams Government Inaction
Former Himachal Pradesh minister Govind Singh Thakur criticised the state government’s handling of rising cow smuggling cases. “It is extremely concerning that a truck filled with cows, two of them dead, was allowed to move undetected. Despite the animals being ear-tagged, the government has failed to identify their rightful owners,” he said.
Thakur alleged that such incidents are not isolated and pointed out that several similar cases were reported in the recent past by vigilant locals. “Despite repeated warnings, the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu government has neither taken concrete action nor framed any effective policy to tackle cow smuggling. This reflects grave administrative negligence,” he said.
