Assam: Rupohihat police seize pickup van carrying 12 cattle in anti-smuggling operation

Police in Rupohihat in Assam’s Nagaon district seized a goods-carrying vehicle transporting 12 cattle during an operation against suspected cattle smuggling, officials said.

The vehicle, a Mahindra pickup van bearing registration number AS-01-VC-6078, was intercepted after police chased it during the operation. The suspected smugglers allegedly abandoned the vehicle and fled after noticing that they were being pursued by the police.

According to the information available, the vehicle had a concealed wooden compartment in which the cattle were kept with their legs tied. The animals were allegedly being transported in the vehicle for movement to another state.

Following the seizure, the cattle were shifted to a cowshed, while police continued their investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and identify those involved.

The operation comes amid police action against suspected cattle smuggling in Assam, a key state in the Northeast that shares interstate borders and has established road links with other parts of the region and the country.

Further details about the suspected smugglers and the intended destination of the consignment were not immediately available.