Cow smugglers imprisoned in Chikkamagaluru

CHIKKAMAGALURU: Two cow smugglers who were caught transporting 10 stolen cattle to an abattoir, were sentenced to two years imprisonment by the First Additional Senior Civil Judge N.M. Ramesh. The judge also imposed a penalty of Rs 6,000 on the two people convicted in the case in Chikkamagaluru. The convicted men, Yogesh and Mohammed Iqbal, were found guilty of stealing 10 cattle including some buffaloes from Degalapura in Ambale hobli of Chikkamagaluru on October 13, 2015. The cows belonged to Thimmegowda.

Senior Assistant Public Prosecutor Raghavendra Raikar told Deccan Chronicle on Thursday that the convicted, Yogesh and Iqbal used to keep a watch on grazing cattle in the region and steal the cattle before they reached home after grazing.  After stealing the cattle, the smugglers used to transport them to an abattoir located in Tamilara Colony in Chikkamagaluru town. The cow meat was used for domestic consumption.

On October 13, 2015 at around 4 am, Yogesh and Iqbal were caught by police with the stolen cattle in a goods vehicle. Police were tipped off about the cow smuggling by a pro-Hindu outfit leading to their arrests by Chikkamagaluru rural police.   Mr Raghavendra said, cow smuggling is rampant in Chikkamagaluru and smugglers strike when cattle owners are off guard. Many owners are sure that their cattle will return home from grazing but some cattle would stray allowing smugglers to strike. Usually, smugglers lift cows in the dark.