In a dramatic early morning chase, police in Uttar Pradesh's Mirzapur district attempted to intercept a pickup truck allegedly involved in cattle smuggling. The incident occurred near Gopalpur village on Saturday as the vehicle was en route from Lalganj to Sonbhadra.
The High-Speed Chase and Dramatic Escape
Upon spotting the police team, the drivers of the pickup truck accelerated in a desperate bid to escape. A pursuit ensued, during which both tyres on the right side of the vehicle burst. Despite this, the determined smugglers continued their flight for nearly eight kilometres, driving on the metal rims before finally abandoning the damaged vehicle and fleeing on foot into the surrounding area.
Police subsequently secured the pickup and recovered the cattle that were being transported. The vehicle was seized and taken to the Madihan police station for further investigation. Amarnath Yadav, the in-charge of Patehara outpost, stated that the police signaled the driver to stop near Gopalpur village, but the individual instead sped up, prompting the chase.
Recovery and Legal Action
Balmukund Mishra, the Station Officer (SO) of Madihan, confirmed that a total of 10 cattle were rescued from the seized pickup truck. An First Information Report (FIR) has been registered against unidentified persons in connection with the case. The legal proceedings are underway as authorities work to identify and apprehend the suspects involved in this instance of illegal animal transport.
Separate Incident in Drumandganj
In a related development on the same morning, police in the Drumandganj area acted on a tip-off about the movement of animal smugglers. A cordon was set up near Bhaisod Balay hill. However, taking advantage of the dense morning fog, the smugglers managed to escape the police net.
Officers did recover two cattle from a pickup truck that was left behind at the scene. Brahmdeen Pandey, the Drumandganj SO, informed that an FIR has been registered under the Animal Cruelty Act, and the vehicle was seized under the relevant sections of the Motor Vehicles (MV) Act.
These back-to-back incidents highlight the ongoing challenges faced by law enforcement in curbing illegal cattle smuggling in the region. Police officials have reiterated their commitment to tackling such activities and have urged the public to provide any information that could assist in these efforts.
