Suspected cattle traffickers in Odisha allegedly assaulted seven tourists from Andhra Pradesh for opposing the way they were ill treating the animals in Rayagada district, police said on Saturday. Three women were among the tourists allegedly beaten up, police added.
The incident was reported from Patupadar under Bissamkataka police station area of Rayagada district on Friday evening. More than 20 cattle traffickers were taking around 500 cattle on road and were thrashing the animals. When the tourists tried to protest, the traffickers allegedly assaulted them and smashed their mobile phones. One of the victims, KV Kannan, a software engineer, sustained injuries on his head and body.
Rayagada district collector Guha Poonam Tapas Kumar said a case was registered with Bissamkataka police station. She said all the accused would be arrested soon. The state government will bear the treatment cost of the injured tourists, she added.
In April last year, Union minister for women and child development Maneka Gandhi had to intervene in the case of assault of a cow protection activist in Rayagada who was allegedly tortured by then district collector and other officials. Tirtha Kumar Sahu was arrested by the police in Rayagada as he was protesting illegal smuggling of cows to West Bengal, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh from Rayagada.
In a letter to chief minister Naveen Patnaik, Gandhi had alleged that Odisha was the state from where the largest number of cattle were being illegally smuggled out to neighbouring states every month. She had also alleged that Rayagada officials were involved with the cattle mafia.
{{/usCountry}}In a letter to chief minister Naveen Patnaik, Gandhi had alleged that Odisha was the state from where the largest number of cattle were being illegally smuggled out to neighbouring states every month. She had also alleged that Rayagada officials were involved with the cattle mafia.
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