COLLEM JAN 31
Nine bulls, 64 pigs and 10 tonnes of meat, which were being taken to an abattoir in the State, were seized by Collem police at the Mollem checkpost in the wee hours of Monday.
Twelve persons have been arrested and six vehicles have been detained in this connection. This is the third major crackdown by organisations on the slaughter of animals in the last two weeks.
According to reports, animal welfare activists from the Akhil Vishwa Jai Sri Ram Gau Sanvardhan Kendra, the Bharat Swabhiman Goa, Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Animal Rescue Squad (ARS) were alerted that six vehicles carrying the bulls, pigs and the meat were proceeding from Hubli and Bailhonga in Karnataka towards the State through the Mollem checkpost.
Acting swiftly, Bajrang Dal member Kamlesh Bandekar, Bharat Swabhiman chief Sunil Gaonkar, other anti-cow slaughter activists Kamalakant Tari, Sandeep Pedenekar, Digambar Raut and Samir Joshi notified the Collem police.
The activists along with a police team were then stationed at the check post to intercept the vehicles.
“At about 3 am, six vehicles entered the check post. They included a Tata truck (KA-24-3905) carrying nine bullocks Bolero pickups (KA-24-5915 and KA-49-864 ) carrying 64 pigs, Tata pickups (GA-03-K-0312 and KA-22-A-8149) carrying the meat, and another vehicle. The Collem police immediately seized the vehicles and its contents,” Collem Police Inspector Manoj Mardolkar told Herald.
Six persons — Muktam Daskir Sab Bepari, Salim Daskir Sab Bepari, Suresh Kallappa Torgal, Nabi Sab Mehaboob Makandar, Damodar Mallappa Kolkar and Dastgir Bade Sab Bepari, all from Belgaum — were arrested under the Goa Animal Cruelty Prevention Act.
Six others — Mohammad Hamid Mulla, Mohan Sabappa, Pavanappa Chanappa Lamani, Madim Mullappa Charwade, Raju Karkappa Torgal and Narsappa Ramappa Karvi, all from Gokak- Belgaum — were arrested under Section 11D of of the act.
One driver, Mohammad Hamid informed the police that animals and the meat was regularly being transported into the State at least twice a week from Hubli, Bailhongal and Kittur in Karnataka.
Collem police is investigating the case.
It may be recalled that the ARS along with other organisations had recently raided a slaughter house at Pandavwado-Chorao and six persons had been arrested in this connection.
A few days later, the ARS along with Bharat Swabhiman Bicholim and Shiv Sena, Mapusa, rescued nine animals from a slaughter house at Duler-Mapusa. One person was arrested in this case.
