Cattle smugglers bank on modified vehicles, speed
Smuggling bovines is a serious business and much thought is put into executing the operation — from procuring cattle, to loading them in vehicles and transporting them to the desired location.
The whole operation hinges around the vehicle used to transport the cattle, and the driver who, if the need be, must be able to drive fast and rash to dodge the police.
A vehicle, seized after an operation Thursday night in which one of the cow smugglers was killed, helps understand how much effort the criminals had put to rework the mini-truck into a “bull-dozer” that rammed through two police barricades before coming to halt.
The vehicle is fitted with iron girders both at the front and in the back. If intercepted, the girders act as bulwark as smugglers ram into vehicles or barricades. If chased, the driver often brakes suddenly, forcing the vehicle behind to ram into the truck’s girders, a senior police official said requesting anonymity.
The smugglers also keep a load of stones handy that are used for pelting, in addition to arms and ammunition. Citing a recent incident, the official said a retired police official who gave chase to cattle smugglers had his vehicle pelted with stones shattering the windscreen. The miscreants also rammed his vehicle with their van.
The cow smugglers drive at high speed, often around 80-110 km per hour, and install specially designed exhaust pipe, which tilts sharply towards the ground and helps raise dust creating problems for anyone chasing them. This is one of the reasons why the cattle smugglers prefer dirt tracks.
The official said that smugglers mostly opt for stolen vehicles having fake registration number and with their engine numbers rubbed out.
Regarding procurement of cattle, the official said, the smugglers either pick stray cattle or sometimes purchase them from nomadic tribes.
On December 5, alleged cattle smugglers fired in the air near Daudpur crossing in Alwar. “They now have advanced country-made weapons. The pistol recovered in the Alwar shootout was an improvised version,” the official said.
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