Cow trafficking and slaughter issue has rocked Sundargarh district over last few months and protesting the act, anti-cow slaughter campaigner have been demanding closure of cow haats (market) in different villages in the district.
On Monday, Go Suraksha Manch filed a PIl in the Orissa High Court demanding to stop the cow haat (market) at Sikajor village. The Manch filed a PIl against the Sundargarh Collector, the RDC Sambalpur, the Sarpanch of Tileikani panchayat and the Chief Secretary for not taking proper steps to stop trafficking of cattle.
Sources said, the Manch has been demanding a ban on cow slaughter and cow trafficking and for that the members have been requesting at different levels for closure of weekly haat at Sikajor village under the Kinjrikela police station. But when their efforts went futile, the Manch filed a PIl in the High Court seeking an order to stop the weekly bovine market.
As per allegation of the Manch, Sarpanch of Tileikani Panchayat of Sikajor and one BJD leader allegedly accepted bribe from cow traffickers and allowed them to operate freely. As per the Manch’s allegation, in the haat(market), the cows are being tortured and paraded over long distance. The Manch mentioned that it had been persuading Sundargarh Collector, RDC, Sambalpur, Sarpanch of Tileikani Panchayat of Sikajor village and the Chief Secretary to cancel permission of Sikajor weekly haat from where a large number of cows are being trafficked to West Bengal and other areas, but without any avail.
According to sources, about 3,000 cows are brought to Sikajor weekly haat on every Wednesday from various places including Chhattisgarh for being sold.