Four cattle were rescued in Odisha’s Sundaragada district after suspected smugglers abandoned them inside a Scorpio SUV near Sukhabandh under Hemgir police limits on Sunday morning.
Reports said the accused were transporting the cattle when the vehicle developed a snag near Sukhabandh. Unable to continue, they fled, leaving the SUV and the animals behind. The smugglers had fitted the vehicle with a fake registration plate and removed the rear seats to create space for transporting the cattle.
Locals noticed the abandoned SUV and rescued the animals before alerting police. Hemgir police reached the spot, seized the vehicle, and launched an investigation to identify and trace those involved in the alleged smuggling.
Police officials confirmed that they are pursuing leads to dismantle the network behind the operation. Villagers expressed concern over repeated smuggling attempts in the region and urged authorities to strengthen vigilance.
