Maharashtra: Three held for illegally transporting buffaloes to slaughterhouse in Palghar

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Three persons were arrested in Mokhada in Palghar district in Maharashtra for allegedly transporting buffaloes illegally for slaughter, a police official said on Monday, reported the PTI.

A tempo was intercepted on a tip off on Friday at 6 am while it was on its way to Khodala, the Mokhada police station official said.

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"There were five buffaloes in the vehicle and they were being transported to a slaughterhouse. The animals were tied together and had no access to fodder. We arrested three persons identified as Gopinath Khutade, driver Ravindra Chiwade and Ananta Khutade," he said.

A case was registered on Saturday against them under provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, the Maharashtra Cattle Protection Act and the Motor Vehicles Act, the official added.

The rescued animals have been sent to a shelter in Bhiwandi, while probe into the racket is underway, the official said.

Meanwhile, in an anothet incident, a total of 104 cases of missing or kidnapped children in Vasai-Virar limits in Palghar district in 2023 have been solved, a police official said on Monday, reported the PTI.

A total of 106 children involved in these 104 cases have been traced and reunited with their parents, Senior Inspector Santosh Chowdhari of the Nalasopara unit of the Anti Human Trafficking Cell (AHTC) said.

"These comprise 71 girls and 35 boys. In 2022, we solved 106 cases and traced 112 children, comprising 74 girls and 38 boys," he said.

Since the formation of the Mira Bhayander Vasai Virar commissionerate, 298 such children have been traced and reunited with their parents, Chowdhari said.

Meanwhile, the police in Maharashtra's Palghar district has foiled a dacoity planned at a petrol pump on Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway and arrested six persons, including a woman.

An official from Virar police station said that acting on information, the crime branch sleuths on Friday night found a jeep parked near Jivdani helipad in Virar area on Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway with a group of individuals discussing their plans, newswire PTI reported.

After overhearing the conversation, the police learnt about their plan to commit dacoity at a petrol pump on Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway and immediately alerted senior officials.

The police were attacked when they tried to apprehend the dacoits, resulting in injuries to two security personnel, the official said.

Later, the police arrested six persons, including a woman. All the accused, in the age group of 20 to 48 years, suffered minor injuries while being apprehended, as per the FIR.

Another accused, hailing from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, managed to escape, the official said.

The police seized a chopper, some large knives and other accessories commonly used in dacoities from the accused and impounded their jeep, the official said.

A case was registered against the accused under relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code, the Arms Act and the Maharashtra Police Act.

Three of the arrested persons hailed from Guna in Madhya Pradesh, two from Ahmednagar and one from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in Maharashtra, the police added.

(with PTI inputs)