In a major breakthrough in the recent cattle theft incidents in Belonia under South Tripura district, police have detained three cattle lifters from Melaghar on Thursday.
Superintendent of Police (SP) of South Tripura district, Mourya Krishna C giving details of the series of cattle lifting incidents said that accused were produced before the court with a plea for police remand.
He said that on Thursday, police personnel from Belonia police station arrested three notorious cattle lifters, identified as Sabuj Mia, Imran Hossain, and a minor from Melaghar on Wednesday after police traced them through mobile phone records. Police later produced the trio before the court seeking remand for further interrogation on Thursday.
The South District SP stated that a gang consisting of around 20 to 25 members is believed to be involved in the cattle lifting racket. He assured that all those linked to the network would be identified and arrested soon.
The SP further appealed to the public to immediately inform the nearest police station if they notice any suspicious movement or illegal transportation of cattle. “We are continuing our crackdown against the racket,” he said.
It may be recalled here that since April this year, as many as 52 cattle theft cases have been reported from the Belonia subdivision. Alleging police inaction, local residents had earlier staged road blockades and submitted deputations demanding strict action. Following the public outrage, police intensified operations, leading to the arrest of the three lifters by Melaghar police station before they were handed over to Belonia police station for further investigation.