As many as 12 cattle were rescued from a pickup van late Monday night after the vehicle crashed into a roadside shop and a tree near Sarasankha Chhak on the Soro-Kupari road in Odisha’s Baleshwar district.
According to local sources, the incident unfolded when a group of cow vigilantes, acting on a tip-off regarding illegal cattle transportation, kept watch near Nadigaon Chhak. When they attempted to intercept the speeding pickup van travelling from Kupari toward Soro, the driver refused to stop and accelerated to evade capture.
In a frantic bid to escape, the driver lost control of the vehicle. The van first rammed into a roadside shop before coming to a violent halt after crashing into a tree. Taking advantage of the ensuing commotion and darkness, both the driver and the helper managed to flee the scene.
Displaying commendable promptness, the vigilantes rushed to the wreckage, rescued the 12 distressed cattle trapped inside, and immediately alerted local law enforcement.
The Soro police arrived swiftly at the scene, seized the damaged pickup van, and safely transferred the rescued animals to a local cowshed in Soro for proper care. Authorities have launched a thorough investigation to trace the owners of the vehicle, identify the culprits involved, and crack down on the wider network behind the illegal transportation.
