27 February 2020, 4:23 pm
Two arrested for illegally transporting cattle
This article has been preserved from The Voice Of Sikkim historical news collection and reflects information available at the time of its original publication.
Two arrested for illegally transporting cattle
Pakyong, 27 Feb: Two people named Md. Akbar 21, resident of Kalimpong and Dilip Tamang 60, resident of Jaldhaka Kalimpong are accused for illegal transporting of Cattle by Pakyong Police, and are arrested under Prevention of Cruelty to Animal Act 1960, the cattle has been handed by the Police to Animal Husbandry Dept as of now.
Villagers in Aho , Pakyong stop a utility vehicle bearing a West Bengal number plate carrying three cows and two calves. Totaling of four people when questioned by Public who provided contradictory statements as to where and why they were being transported. One villager Mr Kharananda Sharma who stopped the vehicle states that he had sold his cow to a fellow villager a few days back on the condition that it was to be reared only for Dairy farming. Under the Sikkim prevention act of cow slaughter act 2017, Cows have been defined as ?a milking cow, dry cow, heifer and calf? and slaughter of cows attracts a penalty not less than two years to 5 years along with a minimum fine of Rs.10,000 the offence is a cognizable and non-bail able offence. With such incidences of cattle being taken outside the state raises a pertinent question regarding the loophole in the present law.
The Central motor vehicles (11th amendment) rules 2015 provides that no Motor vehicle meant for carrying animals shall be permitted to carry any other goods, the RTO is also mandated to issue special licenses for the motor vehicles meant for carrying animals. The alleged cattle smugglers do not seem to be carrying any kind of authorization. The accused men also stated that this was the first time that the vehicle was being used for transporting cattle.
With lot of contradictions as to where and why the cows were being transported raises a pertinent question, was it being smuggled? Hiding beneath the religious mask of the issue of ?Cow slaughter? is another apposite issue. With Sikkim being very close to the Bangladesh border the possibilities of the cattle being smuggled cannot be overruled. The possibility that proceeds from cow smuggling could be used to fund the drug Business in the Golden Triangle or for procuring drugs is another possibility. The villagers have reported that they have seen such pickup trucks time and again but the covert manner in which they cover the animals had not attracted much attention of the villagers. The truck carrying the cows was dilapidated and they were kept hurdled up together, there was hardly space for two cows to fit in let alone five. Transportation of livestock is without a doubt the most stressful and traumatic stage, and has specific rules and guidelines for handling them humanely, if failed to do so then a person is penalized under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal Act 1960.
The way forward is for the administration to curb such cattle smuggling. The authorities must undertake intelligence collection and report them to the border security forces. Laws must be passed to regularize the buying and selling of cattle.