CHENNAI: The police are on the lookout for a group which stole over 28 cattle over the last four days in the suburbs by posing as Municipal or Highways department workers.
According to police, a group of men lured cattle wandering on the streets with bananas, tied their necks forcefully and loaded them onto the lorry. They claimed they were highways or municipal officials taking the stray cattle to the municipal office.
When cattle owners approached the municipal offices the next morning to retrieve their livestock, they were informed that no such activity had been taken up. Realising their cattle had been stolen, several cattle owners filed complaints with the Chengalpattu Town police.
A case was registered, and they found that the gang had been operating from a lorry with its number plate covered by perusing CCTV footage. The video also captured distressing scenes of cows being dragged into the vehicle.
Police said more than 28 cattle have been stolen in the last four days, and each stolen cattle is estimated to be worth between 40,000 and 1 lakh. Police suspect the gang may be smuggling the animals to other districts. The police have advised the cattle owners not to let the animals roam on the streets at night and have assured them that the gang will be traced and the stolen animals will be recovered soon.