SRIKAKULAM: Acting on the complaint of missing cattle lodged at Palasa police station by the cattle owners who handed over their animals to a cattle home at Pattupuram village in Meliaputti mandal, police arrested Dr. Suryam, the prime accused, on Sunday and produced him before the Palasa court. The accused was later remanded till April 27.
According to Meliaputti SI G Rajesh, the police intercepted a vehicle carrying cattle at Narayanapuram market in the limits of Meliaputti PS when the accused were allegedly shifting cattle to slaughter houses three weeks ago. A case was registered at Meliaputti police station.
Police were shocked to learn that majority of cows handed over to cattle home at Pattupuram went missing and allegedly shifted to the market and slaughter houses stealthily. As per the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 and under Section 409 of CRPC, Meliaputti police registered a case and since then the accused officer was at large. After two weeks, he got an anticipatory bail from the Sompeta court.
However, acting on the second complaint filed by the Palasa police, Meliaputti police arrested the accused on Sunday. It was learnt that the accused veterinary doctor remained absent from the duty at Akkulapeta Veterinary Hospital since October 1, 2017. Shocking incidents came to light, when the police seized the records of the hospital. What were the superior officials doing even when the accused officer remained absent from the duty for six months but he was drawing salary regularly.
1,916 cattle missing
Since 2014, the police rescued 1,950 cattle across the district and booked 46 cases against the illegal cattle transporters. Rescued cattle were shifted to Pattupuram cattle home. In the recent raids, police found only 12 oxen in the home and records showed only five died so far.
However, in the recent raid, police caught 17 cattle while being shifted from the cattle home to Narayanapuram market, totalling to 34. Of the rescued 1,950 cattle since 2014, cattle house officials reportedly shifted 1,916 cattle to the slaughter houses and other markets to earn money.