Puttur: Puttur Rural police arrested a 52-year-old man after 11 cattle were allegedly found being transported to Kerala without the required permits in a pickup vehicle intercepted at Biliyurkatte in Balnad village early on October 5.
The arrested person was identified as Shivaprasad, a resident of Aryapu in Puttur. Police alleged that he had sold the cattle for transportation without obtaining the necessary permissions.
The pickup vehicle, bearing registration number KA-19-AF-8558, was intercepted by police after they received information about the alleged transportation. The driver and another person travelling in the vehicle reportedly fled when the police stopped it.
Police intercept pickup near Biliyurkatte
According to police, the incident came to light in the early hours of October 5 after Puttur Rural Police Station Sub-Inspector Sushma G. Bhandary received information that cattle were being transported towards Kerala.
The police team acted on the information and intercepted the pickup at Biliyurkatte in Balnad village on the Parladka-Vittal road.
The vehicle was reportedly covered with a tarpaulin. When the police stopped it, the driver and another occupant allegedly abandoned the vehicle and fled from the spot.
Police then inspected the pickup and found 11 cattle inside.
The animals were reportedly tied tightly with ropes and packed into the vehicle in a manner that police described as cruel. The condition in which the cattle were being transported has become part of the case registered by the police.
11 cattle found inside vehicle
The police said the cattle belonged to different breeds and were being transported towards Kerala.
According to the case details reported by Daijiworld, the animals were being moved without the licence or permit required for such transportation. Police have alleged that the intended destination was Kerala and that the cattle were being transported for slaughter and sale of meat.
These are police allegations forming part of the ongoing investigation. The recovery of the cattle and the seizure of the vehicle have been recorded as part of the case.
The identities and roles of the driver and the other person who allegedly fled from the vehicle are also expected to be examined as the investigation progresses.
Shivaprasad arrested in connection with case
Police subsequently arrested Shivaprasad, 52, of Aryapu in Puttur.
According to the police version reported by Daijiworld, Shivaprasad had allegedly sold the cattle for transportation without securing the required permits.
The arrest followed the interception of the vehicle and recovery of the cattle.
The police investigation will now seek to establish the source and ownership of the animals, the circumstances under which they were sold or handed over for transportation and the intended destination.
Investigators are also expected to establish the identities of the two people who allegedly fled after the pickup was intercepted.
Case registered under cattle preservation law
Puttur Rural police registered Crime No. 125/2026 in connection with the incident.
The case has been booked under Sections 4, 6, 7 and 12 of the Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Act, 2020, along with Section 11(d) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
The Karnataka law places restrictions on the slaughter of cattle and on their transportation outside the state for slaughter. It also restricts the sale or disposal of cattle for slaughter. The law provides for permits in certain bona fide agricultural or animal-husbandry circumstances and requires prescribed transportation procedures to be followed.
Section 6 specifically deals with the transportation of cattle from Karnataka to another state for slaughter, while Section 7 prohibits the sale, purchase or disposal of cattle for slaughter or where there is knowledge or reason to believe that the cattle will be slaughtered.
Vehicle intercepted after police tip-off
The operation began after the police received information about the movement of the pickup.
The timing of the interception was significant, with police acting in the early hours of October 5. The vehicle was stopped before it could continue towards Kerala.
The police seizure prevented the alleged transportation from proceeding further and enabled the 11 cattle to be taken into custody.
The incident also demonstrates the role of police checks and information received from local sources in detecting suspected violations involving livestock transportation.
Investigation to establish full circumstances
Although Shivaprasad has been arrested, the investigation is not complete.
Police will need to establish the full chain of events leading to the movement of the cattle. This includes determining who owned the animals, who arranged the pickup, who was driving the vehicle and who the second occupant was.
Investigators may also examine whether the required ownership documents, transport certificates or other records were available.
The Karnataka rules governing cattle transportation require cattle moved for bona fide agricultural or animal-husbandry purposes to be accompanied by specified documentation, including ownership documents and a transport certificate.
The absence of required documentation can therefore be relevant to determining whether the transportation complied with the applicable regulations.
Alleged destination was Kerala
Police have alleged that the cattle were being transported from Puttur towards Kerala.
The Karnataka cattle-preservation law specifically regulates interstate transportation when the stated purpose is slaughter. The law permits certain transportation for bona fide agricultural or animal-husbandry purposes subject to prescribed conditions and permits.
In the present case, police have alleged that the cattle were intended for slaughter and that the meat was to be sold.
The allegation will have to be established through the investigation and subsequent legal proceedings.
Animal welfare aspect under investigation
The manner in which the cattle were reportedly transported has also attracted attention.
Police said the animals were packed tightly inside the pickup and tied with ropes. Such conditions can raise concerns under animal-welfare provisions governing the transportation of livestock.
The case therefore involves both alleged violations of Karnataka’s cattle-preservation law and provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
The exact condition of the animals and the circumstances in which they were loaded into the vehicle will form part of the investigation.
Further action expected
The arrested accused will face the legal process as investigators continue gathering evidence.
Police are also expected to question people connected with the cattle and examine documents relating to their ownership and movement.
The two people who reportedly fled from the pickup remain relevant to the investigation. Establishing their identities could help police determine whether others were involved in arranging or carrying out the alleged transportation.
The vehicle has been seized as part of the case, while the recovered cattle are expected to be dealt with according to the applicable legal and administrative procedures.
Conclusion
Puttur Rural police arrested a 52-year-old man after 11 cattle were allegedly found being transported towards Kerala without the required permits. The pickup was intercepted at Biliyurkatte in Balnad village early on October 5 after police received information about the vehicle.
The driver and another occupant reportedly fled, while police seized the vehicle and recovered the cattle. A case has been registered under Karnataka’s cattle-preservation law and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. The investigation is continuing to establish the full circumstances and identify everyone allegedly involved.