Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (ANK)

Mangaluru, Jun 28: Police commissioner Sandeep Patil on Friday, June 28 said, "Police have taken cattle theft issue very seriously. Special squads have been formed to keep surveillance on old cattle offenders. Night beats have been increased in all police stations and random visits to cattle offenders’ houses will be done to check their activities.”

He also said, "Strong preventive action is being taken against old offenders. Mainly these offenders are from few areas in Mangaluru city, Mangaluru rural district, Udupi and Kasargod. Letter has been written to SP to keep surveillance over old offenders in their areas.

“Special squads will be tracing and arresting absconding cattle offenders Kutta Imran, Basheer and Ansar,” he said.

There has been rise in cattle trafficking in the city which has made way to communal violence. On June 22, when court ordered to hand over cattle to transporters which were rescued at Jokatte, cattle transporters celebrated the decision and burst crackers on the way. The video went viral in social media which was condemned by right wing activists and Hindu groups.

Local politicians too urged the police to take stringent action against cattle thieves. Further, buses were stoned which was in retaliation to cases booked against Hindu activists for stopping cattle transportation at Adyanadka.

It may also be recalled that on June 7, a car transporting cattle illegally toppled and six cows died in the incident.