Unknown miscreants abducted the helper of a truck and disappeared with six buffaloes that were on their way to an animal shelter at Kishanganj from Alipurduar on 28 February.

An FIR has been lodged with the police. But the helper is yet to be traced along with the animals. The driver of the truck, who was badly beaten by the miscreants, is under treatment.

Six buffaloes were on their way to an animal shelter in Kishanganj that is being run by Dhyan Foundation, known nationwide for its animal welfare activities.

The Birpara police station had intercepted six trucks carrying 238 buffaloes on 21 December, 2023 in Alipurduar.

Accordingly, an FIR (no 189/2023) was lodged against the accused, who was transporting the animals. The owner of the vehicle and owner of the buffaloes moved the Chief Judicial Magistrate’s Court and filed an application seeking custody of the animals. The court rejected their application and passed an order on 16 January and directed the vehicle owner and cattle owner to handover them to Dhyan Foundation. The cattle were to be taken to the Kishanganj Gaushala of Dhyan Foundation.

The accused then went to the Sessions Judge, challenging the CJM’s order. The Sessions Court upheld the order of the CJM on 9 February.

The CJM in its order on 16 February, 2024 observed that the officer in-charge had failed to invoke proper sections of Prevention of Cruelties to Animals Act and his “conduct in the investigation was also questioned and thereby officer in-charge of Birpara police station was directed to conduct the investigation. Dhayn Foundation was directed to take the cattle to their gaushala.”

The officer in-charge of Birpara police station was ordered to ensure smooth custody of the cattle and some of them had fallen sick.

Accordingly, Dhyan Foundation wrote letters to the SP and informed him about the order and sought protection for the volunteers.

A spokesman for Dhyan Foundation said, “When Gaurav Yadav, a volunteer of the foundation along with the driver of the vehicle, Madan and the helper went to the spot to transport the cattle, they found 100 people there and only two policemen were deployed to execute the order.”

Mr Yadav and the driver were beaten up and the miscreants, who stopped the vehicle at Islampur. They left with the buffaloes and the helper and threatened the driver to shut his mouth. Till date, neither the animals nor the helper could be traced.

In complete defiance of the orders passed by the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Alipurduar to ensure smooth handover and transportation of cattle, the police continued to collude with cattle smugglers, who intimidated the volunteers, authorized representatives, and advocates of the gaushala to coerce Dhyan Foundation into relinquishing their claim on the animals.

When contacted, Y Raghubangshi, SP, Alipurduar refused to comment on the matter and said he would look into the matter.