Moodbidri: Cattle theft - Vehicle falls into drain, traffickers escape

Daijiworld Media Network – Moodbidri (SP)

Moodbidri, Apr 25: A Maruti Swift car which was used by some miscreants for stealing and transporting cattle got stuck in a roadside drain at Sampige Cross near here on Wednesday April 24. The cattle thieves however, made good their escape.

Some people, who arrived in the said car, caught hold of a cow grazing by the roadside and stuffed it into the car. When they were trying to load another cow likewise, it escaped from them. By the time the locals were informed about the thieves and they came on the spot, the miscreants sped away in their car. When some youth in their motor bikes tried to stop the car at Murkot Palke, the accused increased the speed of their vehicle, and deviated from the course towards Kodyadka. Once they reached Guddeangady, they offloaded the cow and drove towards Sampige Cross. As the driver tried to drive the car speedily on a zigzag course, the vehicle hit a roadside tree before falling in the roadside drain.

Those in the car, who reportedly wielded lethal weapons, took to their heels, after abandoning the car there. The wind shield of the car has been broken. Leaflets seeking votes for the JDS candidate from Mangalore north assembly constituency were recovered from the car. A case was registered in Moodbidri police station.

The incident comes in the wake of an incident which occurred on March 28 this year, in which four cows valued at around Rs 60,000 were stolen from the cattle shed owned by Faustin Sequeira from Murkot Palke. Sequeira, who happens to be the general secretary of Raita Sangha’s Moodbidri regional unit, suffered heavy loss at one go. Taking pity at his plight, president of the unit, Dhanakeerti Balipa, had given him a cow from his cowshed. However, the thieves had stolen even this cow, within a few days.

In the past, complaints made to the police, petition handed over to minister, Suresh Kumar, during his visit to the town in 2011 by the Raita Sangha, and complaints made by Faustin Sequeira have failed to have any impact on the cattle thieves and traffickers, who continue to make merry. The locals expect the concerned to take strict action at least now, against the culprits.