Police officers will face action if they fail to curb cow smuggling: Chhattisgarh Deputy CM Vijay Sharma

Chhattisgarh police face penalties for failing to stop illegal cow transportation; strict action against offenders, new regulations in place.

“Police officers in Chhattisgarh could face action if they fail to stop illegal cow transportation and smuggling in the State,” Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma said on July 16.

“If police officers are found to be lax or involved (in illegal cattle transportation and smuggling), strict action will be taken against them. Intelligence gathering and continuous monitoring of all the accused will be necessary,” he said.

The Deputy Chief Minister said that under the new regulations, unauthorised transportation, smuggling, slaughter or sale of cows and milch animals will face harsh penalties. “Offenders could be sentenced to seven years in prison and fined ₹50,000,” he said. The new regulations put the burden of evidence on the accused to prove innocence.

According to Mr. Sharma, cows cannot be transported without the permission of the competent officer and the message will have to be displayed on the vehicle during transportation. A vehicle involved in smuggling will be confiscated and action will be taken against the vehicle owner. He added that a gazetted officer will be appointed as the nodal officer for the prevention and supervision of such incidents.

Mr. Sharma’s statement comes more than a month after three cattle transporters were found dead in Arang on the outskirts of Raipur. They were chased and allegedly assaulted by cow vigilantes, according to their family members.

“The Mahanadi Bridge under which the three men were found is a part of National Highway 53. Some 160km of the Highway passes through the Mahasamund district which is connected to Odisha’s Bargarh. This makes Chhattisgarh and particularly the border district of Mahasamund, a key transit point for transport of cattle, contraband and gold. This not only makes difficult for the police to keep tabs on the movement of cattle but has spawned groups that indulge in vigilantism and extort money in the name of cow protection,” the police had earlier said.