Jharkhand: Large number of cattle heads killed as truck being used for smuggling overturns

A large number of cattle heads were killed when the truck that was being used for allegedly smuggling them fell from a bridge and overturned in Jharkhand's Gumla district on Friday, police said.

Over 100 cattle heads were being smuggled in the double-decker container truck when the accident happened near Semra forest area, they said.

A rescue operation is underway in the area, said Anil Linda, the officer-in-charge of Palkot police station.

''At this moment, we are unable to provide the exact number of cattle heads that died in the accident,'' he said, adding that it is likely that half of the cattle heads have died considering the situation at the spot.

Those alive were being taken out using gas-cutter machines, Linda said.

''Our priority is to rescue the animals that are alive and provide treatment to them,'' another official said.

It is suspected that the cattle heads were being transported to West Bengal from Odisha, he said.

The driver of the container truck managed to escape after the accident, he added.

Workers of the Vishva Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal gathered in large numbers at the spot after the accident.

Police said that an investigation was underway.