Cattle thieves caught with Vehicle in Bokakhat; recovered livestock returned to owner

A CORRESPONDENT

BOKAKHAT: In the Bokakhat subdivision, the terror of cattle thieves has kept cattle owners sleepless. A fresh case of cattle theft came to light, further adding to the prevailing panic. Thieves have been regularly targeting open cowsheds, spreading fear among the villagers.

On Tuesday night, a pair of bullocks, owned by brothers Kamal Sahis and Krishna Sahis from Nepali Khuti in Kuruwabahi Gaon Panchayat, were stolen from their cowshed. The family was horrified the next morning upon discovering the theft and immediately informed their relatives while searching for clues.

One of their relatives from Kuthuri sent a video to the cattle owner, which clearly showed two known thieves unloading the stolen cattle from a familiar vehicle.

Reportedly, the cattle, worth around Rs 1 lakh, was sold by the thieves for Rs 56,000. Of that, Rs 40,000 was paid in cash, while the remaining ?16,000 was promised to be paid later. After the deal, the two thieves returned home in the same vehicle.

Upon identifying his cattle in the video, the owner went to Harmoti with the help of the local village protection committee, bringing along the cattle buyer and the recovered cattle. They presented themselves at the Harmoti Police Station. The police, after confirming the details, returned the cattle to the rightful owner and detained the buyer for questioning.

Kamal Sahis then lodged an FIR at the Bokakhat Police Station, naming the two cattle thieves as Tuntun Saikia from Nepali Khuti, Bokakhat, and Prashanta Das from Goropara. He also stated that a Tata Ace vehicle (registration No. AS03CC3160) belonging to Tuntun Saikia was used in the theft.

Based on the FIR, Bokakhat police seized the mentioned vehicle on Wednesday. Although both the accused had initially fled, it was later learned that Tuntun Saikia surrendered at the police station on Thursday morning.

The frequent cattle thefts have created an atmosphere of fear across Bokakhat. Locals allege that the police have failed to provide adequate security to cattle owners. This recent incident has given the police a clear opportunity to act decisively, and the public now waits to see what further measures will be taken. Notably, locals suspect a pre-existing relationship between the cattle thieves and the buyer, as part of the payment was left pending.

Meanwhile, even as Bokakhat reeled from this case, thieves continued their spree, stealing another cow on Wednesday night. This time, the cow belonged to the priest of the Shiva temple in Ikorajan, Bokakhat. The thieves took the cow, leaving behind the young calf that was tied up separately.

Also Read: Assam: Terror of cattle thieves in Bokakhat

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