Baripada/Betnoti: Police, in a joint raid today, rescued around 300 cattle from various locations in Betnoti block of Odisha's Mayurbhanj district. 

The raid was carried out by the combined efforts of Morada, Baisinga, Badasahi and Rasgovindpur police in Govindraipur village of Kalama panchayat which comes under the jurisdiction of Baisinga police in Betnoti block. 

According to preliminary reports, the cows were being transported to bordering West Bengal when police rescued them. It is yet to be ascertained whether the cows were being illegally transported or not. 

Police said a team of officers including IIC of Badasahi, Baisinga, Morada and Rasgovindpur along with our platoon force carried out the raid after getting credible information about large number of livestock assembled in three different public places. On reaching the locations, they found that the cows were kept in pitieable condition. When local people were asked to furnish valid documents to prove their ownership of the cattle, they could not give a satisfactory answer after which the cops seized as many as 294 cows and later shifted them a goshala (cow shelter) in Balasore. 

Official sources informed that the probability of cattle smuggling is being investigated. Three cases have been registered under Sections 303(2)/Sec11(a)(f)(h) (k) of Prevention of cruelty to Animal Act. Further investigation is continuing.