Jamshedpur News: Man abducted by cattle smugglers rescued after eight hours

Mail News Service

Seraikela, June 9: Seraikela-Kharsawan police rescued an SUV driver from the clutches of cattle smugglers on Thursday.

Sources said the SUV driver, Murari Gope, was abducted with his vehicle by armed cattle smugglers in Simalbera and taken to Udaipur village. A police team launched a search for the victim and finally got him freed by the culprits.

Superintendent of Police, Anand Prakash, said the police team rescued the driver after over eight hours of search. A minor youth, reportedly held hostage by the villagers of Simalbera, was also rescued by the police.

According to sources, the villagers of Simalbera had caught three persons including a minor for allegedly stealing 19 oxen belonging to them. When the associates of the three accused came to know about it, they abducted the SUV driver to strike a deal with the villagers. The abductors demanded release of the three accused with the 19 oxen for letting the driver go.

The villagers, on the other hand, first refused to let the alleged animal traffickers go and demanded stringent action against them. They said the traffickers regularly came to their village and stole away their cattle.

The SP said the cattle smugglers will not be spared and that strict measures would be taken to stop animal trafficking in the district.

Case lodged against abductors, animal traffickers

Seraikela police registered a case against unidentified persons for abducting SUV driver Murari Gope and smuggling cattle belonging to local villagers.

In the FIR, the informant said several people had abducted Murari and taken him to an unknown place. Police later rescued Murari after eight hours of frantic search.

The officer in-charge of Seraikela police station, Manohar Kumar, said an investigation was on to identify the culprits. He said strict action would be taken against those dealing in animal trafficking.