Palamu police are now after cattle smuggling. Smuggling of cattle is as rampant as illicit liquor. If illicit liquor is smuggled to Bihar, smuggling of bovine animals is quite far and distant like Kolkata. 

This intervening night Panki police intercepted a huge herd of 117 bovine animals - 115 cows and 2 buffaloes being driven by hand and by a contingent of 13 people in the age group of 30 to 60 years. 

Officer in charge of the Panki police station Gaurav Goswami IPS on probation said "We got an Intel from Satbarwa that a flock of cows including 2 buffaloes was treading towards Panki."

Goswami said "We had this much Intel only. We knew we were to work harder and faster. Once this herd of 117 bovine animals  reached Ranney Bhari Chowk, our boys, making no mistake, freed the 117 cattle in captivity and arrested 8 people."

The 8 have been identified as Yusuf, Asgar, Safik,Karim, Idris, Shamsher, Usman and Kalim. All come from Palamu. 

All these 8 have been remanded in judicial custody under sections of the Jharkhand Bovine Animal Prohibition of Slaughter Act 2005.

Identity of 5 others at large has been revealed by the police giving them a chance to surrender to police or to court of law. 

Now a vital question. Who owns or takes care of or feeds 117 cattle? It's a huge task with the police having not a single pie for it. Police on their own can't do it. 

There happened one incident when policemen were caught milking the cows and collecting fresh milk. 

The activity of the police caused a major stir and the policemen were stopped to milch cows for milk. 

Goswami spoke to the elected representatives of Ranney Bhari and sought help.  A 'Zimmanama' was readied where able bodied persons having agriculture and animal husbandry experience were given the bovines after these persons submitted their Aadhar cards and other details as part of their being bonafide. 

It's summertime and water and feed for these cattle are such which can't be overlooked even for a day. 

Goswami said he didn't remember exactly as to how many residents have owned responsibility for taking care of the cattle feed  water and safety too as right now the cattle are state's property. 

It is incumbent upon the police to get these 117 cattle examined by the block level vet doctor or by a touring veterinary officer.