Balasore: Several vehicles carrying cattle were set ablaze by a mob along Karmada-Baliapal road in Balasore district Saturday night, a source said Sunday.
According to the source, three vehicles carrying approximately 100 cattle and were headed towards West Bengal.
A mob, many of whom are said to be locals, intercepted the cattle-laden trucks along the road and alerted the local police. How they came to know of presence of cattle inside the vehicles is not yet known.
Some of the men, claiming to be locals, alleged that police did not take any immediate action against the suspected cattle smugglers. As the matter escalated on the spot, the mob unloaded the cattle from the trucks, ransacked the vehicles and later set those on fire.
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A man present on the scene alleged that cattle smuggling was not unusual along that route. Rather, smuggling on Balasore-West Bengal stretch is rampant and continues on a daily basis, he informed.
Locals demanded strict action against cattle smugglers. Meanwhile, there has been no official response from the police regarding the incident.
PNN