VIZIANAGARAM: At least 26 cattle were killed and another 21 animals sustained injuries after an Eitcher van, in which they were being transported illegally to Hyderabad overturned near Seetharampuram village in Bobbili mandal in Vizianagaram district in the early hours of Sunday.
After the accident, the driver absconded. Based on the locals’ information, Bobbili police reached the spot and launched an investigation. The police arrested owner-cum-driver of the vehicle Gunavath Krishna of Hyderabad by Sunday evening.
The illegal transportation of cattle is common in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Manyam Parvathipuram districts of north coastal Andhra Pradesh. The gangs from neighbouring Telangana, Odisha and Karnataka are involved in the illegal transportation of the cattle. The shortage of meat in other states was one of the major reasons for the illegal transportation of cattle.
They have been procuring the cattle from weekly shandies at Pedamanapuram, Alamanda, Kandivalasa, Parvathipuram and few other locations. Later, they transport the cattle to various destinations illegally. The Animal Husbandry Department has closed the cattle shandies for the past few weeks in the wake of the Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) outbreak.
They have set up check posts in all district and state borders to prevent the cattle transportation to prevent the spread of LSD. Though the officials have failed to prevent illegal cattle trafficking, the road accident on Sunday busted the illegal cattle trafficking.
Speaking to TNIE, Bobbili Sub-Inspector V Gnanaprasad said, “Driver-cum-owner of Eitcher van, Gunavath Krishna of Hyderabad, was transporting cattle from Gumada village of Komarada mandal in Parvathipuram-Manyam district to Hyderabad. However, his van met with an accident near Seetharampuram village on Sunday early hours. We have registered a case under Section 279 (rash driving) of the IPC and several Sections of The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960.”
Owner-cum-driver from Hyd arrested
Police arrested owner-cum-driver of the vehicle Gunavath Krishna of Hyderabad by Sunday evening. The illegal transportation of cattle is common in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Manyam Parvathipuram districts. The gangs from neighbouring Telangana, Odisha and Karnataka are involved in the illegal transportation.