By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: Jiban Ballav Das, Founder, PFA, Odisha in allegation to DCP –Bhubaneswar, said on 17.04.23 volunteers had seized a pick-up van carrying 7 calves and 1 cow for slaughter at Tamando PS limit under Bhubaneswar Odisha.
The cattle were handed over to our shelter in a miserable condition, they were dehydrated, starving with their bones showing through their skin, the calves were not fed milk for months and separated from their mothers. It was a strong prima facie case of cruelty to animals. The offender was identified as Sheikh Rafique Mohammad.
Tamando PS handed over the cattle to our shelter under a zimmanama, however despite repeated requests they did not share any FIR of the case also didn’t produce before Magistrate as per PCA Act. However, Tamando PS did not register a case as was necessary under both the state and central laws.
On Wednesday, the Tamando Police Station trespassed into the PFA animal care shelter/Gaushala with some persons using force and threatened our staff to release these cattle immediately. We asked them for an order copy to this effect from the Ld. Court however they could not produce the same. They snatched our staff’s phones and assaulted and threatened to bulldoze the shelter with a JCB unless immediate release of the cattle was effectuated. The IIC, Tamando forcefully took the Cattle in our Ambulance without our consent. He violets all Animal Protection laws and his criminal behaviour and snatch away the Cattle.
“We informed them that the cattle are extremely weak, sick and unfit for transportation. Further due to the severe trauma that they have faced they are still undergoing the process of rehabilitation, care and medication at the Gaushala. IIC also not allowed Government Animal Helpline 1962 team send by Sub-divisional Veterinary Officer Dr. Rabi Narayan Patnak to examine the Cattle who visited shelter today,” Das said.
However, the police officers of Tamando PS alongwith the civilian persons accompanying them abused, harassed and assaulted our staff and using force have taken the cattle away. Our organisation always cooperating police whenever siized Cattle from illegal transportation given shelter since last 20 yaers. This is first incidence in our shelter history Tamando IIC trespassing inside the campus terrorised the staffs snatch mobiles of two staffs and Ambulance along with Cattle which ultimately go for slaughter. Our services to distress animals also disrupted as we have no Ambulance.
This incident of the Tamanda PS’ wilful unjustified violent behaviour at a peacefully running shelter, and abusing the staff here alongwith some butchers indicates a nexus with the cattle mafia and specifically Sheikh Rafique Mohammad, who was the prime offender in this case.
‘We demand immediate suspension of IIC, Tamando and request DCP Bhubaneswar to recover Ambulance, Mobiles, seized Cattle and rehabilitate the cattle who were in no condition to be released or transported (for whom the Tamando PS even failed to conduct health inspection and tagging as mandated in law), register an FIR against all the offenders and direct appropriate disciplinary action against the concerned police officers who committed and facilitated trespass, criminal intimidation, assault, and mischief on the shelter’s property and cruelty on the concerned cattle,” Das added.
