Mayurbhanj: A gau rakshak (cow vigilante) sustained a bullet injury to his leg after alleged cattle smugglers opened fire on him during a late-night chase at Jamunanda village under Baisinga police limits in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district.
The victim has been identified as Ramesh Biswal.
According to sources, local spotted two vans, transporting cows, through an interior route via Jugpura, allegedly to avoid the main road and alerted cow vigilantes, who then followed them. Realising that they are being trailed, the suspected cattle smugglers fired on Biswal, who was riding a motorcycle with a relative. They continued onward before setting one of the vehicles on fire in an apparent attempt to destroy evidence, then fled the scene.
Meanwhile, Ramesh’s relative informed police and immediately admitted him to the Community Health Centre (CHC) at Baisinga.
Baisinga police have registered a case and launched an investigation into the cattle smuggling as well as the attack. They have recovered a burnt pick-up van from a nearby road, which was allegedly used to illegally transport the animals.
This comes close on the heels of raids at 32 locations across Mayurbhanj, Balasore, and Bhadrak districts in a statewide crackdown on cattle mafia on April 7. Police had then arrested 10 persons suspected of being involved in illegal cattle smuggling and seized weapons, cash, vehicles, among other items.
Incidentally, the crackdown on the “illegal cattle smuggling racket” has intensified under BJP rule in Odisha. While 473 cases were registered in 2023 against illegal cattle transportation, the number rose to 533 in 2024 and 872 in 2025, according to official figures.
