Recovery of 73 buffaloes by the police in Jharkhand’s Palamau district indicates they were bought and loaded on two container trucks in neighbouring Lohardaga to be transported to Dehri on-Sone in Bihar.

The arrested persons were: Taimur Qureshi (42), Mohd. Raja (30), Irshad Ansari (37), and Gulzar Ansari (37). Two other arrested persons were Azeem (28) and Mohd. Farzan (28) from Muradabad in UP.

The police have seized both container trucks and filed a case under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and related sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

The rescued animals were placed at a rescue home and were reported safe. As per a report, these buffalos were transferred safely to a local caretaker and gaushala (cow shelter) to ensure their welfare.

According to a report, police successfully rescued 73 cattle and apprehended six individuals involved in their illegal transportation in Palamu district on October 27(Tuesday), thwarting an animal smuggling attempt.

The midnight operation took place at a checkpoint on National Highway 39 following a tip-off. The animals were found packed tightly in two container trucks traveling from Lohardaga toward Dehri-on-Sone in Bihar. Six individuals running the smuggling operation were arrested on the spot.

From available information, the police had acted on a tip-off, and its team set up checkpoints at several locations and rescued the cattle from two container trucks near Jond village within Sadar police station limits around 2.30 am.

"We rescued 73 cattle from the seized container trucks. Six people involved in transporting the cattle have been arrested," Medininagar SDPO Rajesh Yadav said.

Among the six people arrested, two are residents of Uttar Pradesh, and four are residents of Lohardaga district in Jharkhand, he said.

The accused told investigators they were transporting cattle from Lohardaga to Dehri on-Sone in Bihar. Further investigation is underway, the officer said.