The Go Suraksha Samiti submited a memorandum to district Collector Yamini Sadangi on curbing cattle smuggling in the district.
It said that huge numbers of cattle are being transported from Koraput to meet the demand for meat in the slaughter houses of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. As a result, the smugglers are targeting the district to procure cattle.
The Samiti said that cow smuggling and slaughter are illegal and not in conformity with the Odisha Anti-Cow Slaughter Act and the Prevention of Cruelty against Animals Act. It contended that when the Rayagada administration curbed the illegal practice in their area, the smuggling was going unabated in laxmipur.
Cows and calves from Jeypore, Nandpur, Sunabeda, Baipariguda and nearby places are routinely smuggled off to the neighbouring States with the administration sitting as a mute spectator, it alleged.
A bizarre incident occurred in August last. When some volunteers of the Samiti were patrolling in Mahadaeput village to stop cattle smuggling they were attacked with stones and lethal weapons. Even gun shots were fired by the smugglers, the Samiti said, and hoped that the district administration would take steps to curb the illegal act. It also warned of an agitation if the administration keeps going slack on the issue.
Among others Bishnu Prasad Sahu, Subhendu Bramha, Suresh Panda, Sujit Pani, lalit Agrawal and Chirinjibi Patra were present.