Upon receiving information given by the complainant, 2 milking cows being transported for illegal slaughter in a rickshaw bearing number GA08U4322 were caught by Cuncolim police yesterday evening at Balli junction road.
Complaint has been filed against Shahrukh Bepari and Akram Khan for illegal transportation of cattle for illegal slaughter under Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960, Transport of Animals Rules 1978, Transport of Animals Amendment Rules 2001 and Goa Daman and Diu Prevention of Cow Slaughter Act, 1978 Section 129E of the Central Motor Vehicle Act (Eleventh Amendment) of 2015.
The 2 cows are still at Cuncolim police station after almost 24 hours since last night without food and water. One of the cows is still in the vehicle. Dhyan Foundation then provided food and water. Cuncolim police is not giving custody of cattle to Dhyan Foundation despite being member of SPCA South Goa and member of Animal Welfare Board of India as well as Goa State Animal Welfare Board for the reasons best known to them. It is learnt that they are planning to give the custody to a cattle pound run by Cuncolim Municipality.
Section 3 (b) of the the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Care and Maintenance of Case Property Animals) Rules, 2017. states that when an animal has been seized under the provision of the Act or the rules made thereunder the magistrate may direct the animal to be housed at an infirmary, pinjrapole, SPCA, Animal Welfare Organisation or Gaushala during the pendency of the litigation. Nowhere in the said rules it has been mentioned as cattle pound.
