Tripura HC directs state to allow transport of rescued cows to Jharkhand gaushala

The Tripura High Court has directed the state government to issue a transit permit to an NGO, allowing it to transport rescued cows from Tripura to its gaushala facility in Jharkhand.

The order came after a writ petition filed by the Dhyan Foundation, which sought judicial intervention to move rescued bovines from the state to its shelter in Jharkhand.

Hearing the case, Justice T. Amarnath Goud on March 23 directed the state authorities to issue the necessary transit permit, enabling the transportation of cattle rescued in Tripura to the organisation’s gaushala in Jharkhand.

A gaushala is a shelter dedicated to the care, rescue, and rehabilitation of stray, neglected, or aged cattle.

The court further stated that the petitioner would be permitted to transport the cattle with due care and caution, while ensuring compliance with all provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, and relevant rules of 2017. It also directed that assistance be provided for shifting the cattle through Assam, Meghalaya, West Bengal, and Bihar en route to Jharkhand.

Dhyan Foundation representative Gaurav Yadav said the organisation is currently caring for around 2,100 cattle rescued by the Border Security Force (BSF) in Tripura. He added that nearly 22,000 bovines rescued by the BSF, other agencies, and individuals are already housed at its Chakulia gaushala in Jharkhand.

Yadav said the organisation had approached the court seeking permission to shift the cattle to Jharkhand, citing better infrastructure, lower fodder costs, and reduced risk of cattle smuggling networks.

He also alleged that cattle smuggling from Tripura to Bangladesh remains rampant, and warned that distributing rescued bovines among individuals could pose risks to their safety.

The court’s direction is expected to facilitate the long-distance transfer of the rescued cattle under regulated conditions.