Excelsior Correspondent
POONCH, Sept 22: In a major crack down on Mughal Road, the Police seized 218 bovine animals being smuggled to Kashmir in 39 trucks and other vehicles last night and arrested ten bovine smugglers while many others managed to escape.
Official sources said that SSP Poonch J S Johar received specific information that before three days of Eid, mafia involved in bovine smuggling will make massive attempt of smuggling of milch animals to Kashmir via Mughal Road. He himself paid visit to the area on Monday and alerted police staff at Surankote, Bafliaz and Behramgalla. The district police chief also replaced incharge Police Post Behramgalla yesterday.
The police parties under the supervision of SDPO Surankote, Riaz Tantray organised operation and laid half a dozen nakas on Mughal Road and some other locations and managed to seize 39 trucks and other vehicles. The police rescued 218 bovine animals packed in the vehicles mercilessly. The legs of some of the animals were tied to accommodate more animals.
Interestingly, a Scorpio vehicle bearing registration No. JK02X/ 5271 was also intercepted. It was found that three milch animals with their legs tied were packed and loaded in it by folding middle and back seats. The vehicle was seized and smugglers arrested. It was discovered that most of these vehicles reached Bafliaz and Behramgalla after crossing police nakas in Thannamandi area. It is alleged that smugglers usually pay heavy amount ranging from Rs 800 to Rs 1000 per vehicle at each nakka to the cops for onward journey. The movement of such vehicles had increased for the last few weeks on this route.
SDPO, Mr Tantray when contacted said that this entire operation was organised under the overall supervision of SSP Poonch. He said he himself and SHO were supervising the movement of vehicles at different locations on Mughal Road during night. 2-3 smugglers tried to run over the cops at naka near Behramgalla when police team signaled them to stop. The smugglers however, jumped away and escaped. Total ten smugglers were nabbed and 15 FIRs have been registered in this connection.
Tantray said they were tracking the movement of vehicles arriving at Bafliaz and had deployed informers at different locations in civil. It was well coordinated operation involving additional policemen. He admitted that most of the vehicles arrived from Rajouri-Thannamandi side.
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