Jammu, Aug 1:
Twelve smugglers were arrested and 339 bovines rescued when police foiled bids to smuggle animals to Kashmir from this region on Thursday, officials said. Police teams intercepted 15 trucks in Ramban, Ramso and Banihal areas along the Jammu-Srinagar highway on Thursday and rescued 119, 175 and 14 bovines respectively, they said. The bovines were being transported to Kashmir from Ramban district, police said. Eight smugglers were arrested and three cases registered at separate police stations, police added. They have been identified as Zafer Ahmed, Jugnu Shah, Zakir Hussain, Mohd Shahid, Adil Manzoor, Mohd Shakeel, Abdul Rehman and Bagh Ali. Fifteen vehicles, mostly trucks, were also seized, police said. Police also foiled three bids of the smugglers to transport bovines to the Kashmir Valley in Rajouri district and rescued 20 animals from Katalkote, Thanamandi and Dharamshal areas on Thursday, they said. Two smugglers — Abdul Majid and Reyaz Ahmed — were arrested while one escaped, police said, adding cases have been registered. Three vehicles were also seized, they said. Police also arrested two smugglers — Irshad and Iqbal — in Balmalkote area of Reasi district and rescued 11 bovines, they added.
