Bhubaneswar, July 15: In a tragic incident, as many as 25 cows were killed and nearly 35 were injured in Odisha after a truck in which they were being illegally smuggled turned turtle on Monday. Reports inform that the incident took place in Odisha’s coastal Balasore district. According to a report by Hindustan Times, police informed that the cattle were being taken in the truck to West Bengal. Inspector of Jaleswar police station, Pradip Majhi informed that the truck probably skidded off the National Highway 60 at Alarpur area and overturned causing the death of the cattle on the spot.

The Inspector further added saying that at least 60 cattle were allegedly being trafficked in pathetic conditions with their legs being tied up. Soon after the incident, the truck’s driver and helper fled from the accident spot.

Earlier this month, a Border Security Force (BSF) constable was critically injured after being attacked by a group of 25 smugglers from Bangladesh. The unidentified men made a forcible attempt to smuggle about 10-15 cattle into Bangladesh through Border Out Post-Angrail near Bangaon in North 24 Parganas in West Bengal.

Earlier in February this year, several locals in Jaleswar city of Balasore district in  Odisha had detained three trucks on suspicions of illegal cattle trafficking. In January,  A month before, four Muslim men carrying a cow were brutally thrashed and their SUV torched by people in Cuttack town after villagers suspected them to be cattle thieves.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 15, 2019 04:32 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).