Officials rescue 27 buffaloes from overcrowded truck

SALEM: As many as 27 buffaloes, tied at the neck and stuffed in a truck, were rescued by the Indian Centre for Animal Rights and Education (ICARE) near Tharamangalam in Salem on Saturday.
Based on a tip-off that cattle were being transported in the "most cruel manner", vice-president of ICARE V Vikram and his five-member team started checking vehicles on the Andhra Pradesh-Tamil Nadu National Highway near Chithoor in Andhra Pradesh on Friday evening.They found 27 buffaloes being transported in a single truck from Andhra Pradesh to be taken to abattoirs in Kerala."
The animals were bruised due to overcrowding and their heads were hanging out of the vehicles. One of the animals had suffered serious injurieswhile being transported," Vikram said. He also said that the animals had green chilies tied to their eyes to prevent them from falling asleep.
The animal activists chased the truck from Chithoor and finally stopped it near Tharamangalam in Salem on Saturday. "When we tried to stop the men, we were surrounded and threatened," Vikram said and added that they managed to inform the Tharamangalam police who helped in rescuing the buffaloes and animal activists.
Based on the complaint lodged by Vikram, the Tharamangalam police registered under various sections of The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.
Citing the central government's guidelines, maximum six cows or buffaloes can be loaded in the truck. All these cattle should be given proper food and water all through the journey.
"The overcrowding and torturing resulted in many animals getting badly injured. Many of the buffaloes could not even stand up since their hind legs appear to have been cramped from standing for several hours," he said. He said those who arrested would get three months of imprisonment along with penalty.
Meanwhile, the Tharamangalam police arrested truck driver Ramarao Pala Thotti, 38, cattle care takers A Seenu 22, and R Seenu, 32, and truck cleaner K Thirupathaiyah, 22. "We have registered the case and seized the cattle. We have also launched a search for Subba Rao Jalatti, 50, the owner of the truck and buffaloes," the police said.