.jpg?width=1200)
Mira-Bhayandar: Police personnel attached to the crime branch unit (Zone III) of the Mira Bhayandar-Vasai Virar (MBVV) stumbled upon a major cattle smuggling racket while they were investigating vehicle thefts in the region.
According to the police, they received a complaint about a Maruti Suzuki Eeco van being stolen from Sakwar village during the intervening night of 13 and 14 July-2024. Initially, the police suspected the crime to be the handiwork of car lifters who stole vehicles-mainly Eeco vans for their silences which fetched high prices owing to the presence of platinum, palladium and rhodium metal dust in them.
A team led by police inspector- Pramod Badhaakh started parallel investigations into the case by scanning footage captured by closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras installed at the crime spot and possible getaway routes. The police spotted the suspect, following which informers were roped in to gather clues and an electronic surveillance system was activated.
Based on a tip-off, the team apprehended- Arbaaz Ati Misaal (24) who turned out to be an active member of a gang which was involved in a spate of cattle thefts in Nallasopara, Valiv and even Dahanu. The gang lifted vans which they used to transport the stolen cattle which were sold at slaughterhouses.
The gang would inject sedatives into the animal’s body leaving them unconscious and mercilessly squeeze them into the stolen vehicles, before removing the seats and changing the original number plates.
.jpg)
“While multiple offences under the relevant sections of the IPC, Maharashtra Animal Preservation Act and Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act have been registered against Misaal in the past, a hunt was on to nab other gang members including expert car thieves and cattle catchers.” said police inspector- Pramod Badhaakh. The police also recovered the stolen Eeco van from the possession of the accused who has been remanded to custody.
