JAJPUR: The Special Task Force (STF) of Odisha police rescued 155 cattle from Sahapur haat at Panikoili and arrested two persons on Saturday night. The arrested persons were identified as Kamar Siyajuddin Khan of Gujidara and Mohammed Karim of Kantabania village in the neighbouring Bhadrak district. Police said the duo was illegally transporting the cattle in a 16-wheeler truck to Kolkata. Rs 34,500 cash along with other incriminating materials were seized from them.
Sources said on a tip-off, a team of STF personnel raided Sahapur haat and rescued the cattle from the truck. Khan and Karim could not produce any valid documents for transporting the cattle outside the state. The duo was then handed over to Panikoili police for necessary action.
As some cattle were found to be sick and injured, veterinary doctors were roped in for their treatment. Later, the rescued cattle were shifted to a gosala at Jajpur Road.
A case under relevant sections of the IPC, Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 and Motor Vehicles Act was registered. The accused were produced in court on Sunday and remanded in judicial custody.